Three cardboard sheets with tiny pinholes in their centers are aligned in a straight line to view a lit…

Three cardboard sheets with tiny pinholes in their centers are aligned in a straight line to view a lit candle. If the center cardboard is shifted $2\text{ cm}$ to the left, what will happen?
  1. The flame appears brighter because light bends around the hole
  2. The flame is no longer visible because light travels in straight lines
  3. An upside-down image of the flame forms on the wall
  4. The color of the candle flame changes

Solution

Light travels in straight lines (rectilinear propagation). Displacing the center hole breaks the straight path, blocking light from reaching the eye.

Asked in: Homi Bhabha Practice

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