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See Right Through Me

Short answer: Borosilicate glass such as Pyrex has a refractive index of about 1.47, close to that of many vegetable oils. When the glass is submerged, light passes from oil to glass with almost no bending or reflection, so the edges our eyes use to see the glass nearly vanish.

The footage shows Pyrex objects disappearing as they are lowered into oil.

VideoWrite-up2 sources

In collections:Everyday Physics

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What should you know about See Right Through Me?

Quick facts. Each one stands alone and has a stable ID you can cite.

  1. Pyrex has an index of about 1.47.

    DD-332-F01 · Write-up · Exhibit A (Index)

  2. Vegetable oils are similar.

    DD-332-F02 · Write-up · Exhibit B (Oil)

Video transcript: See Right Through Me: Pyrex Dipped in Vegetable Oil Seems to Disappear

Pyrex glass can appear to disappear when submerged in vegetable oil, because both materials have very similar refractive indices, meaning they bend light in nearly the same way. Light passes through the Pyrex and the oil without much distortion, making the glass nearly invisible to the naked eye. This effect occurs because our eyes rely on the bending of light to detect the edges of objects, and when their refractive indices match closely, those edges become difficult to distinguish. NOW YOU KNOW!

Burned-in captions, read frame by frame (see transcript.md) · 24.4s Reel ·

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The write-up

Pyrex dipped in vegetable oil seems to disappear. Glass and oil bend light by almost the same amount.

  1. Exhibit A

    Index

    Pyrex has an index of about 1.47.

  2. Exhibit B

    Oil

    Vegetable oils are similar.

  3. Exhibit C

    No bending

    Light barely bends between them.

  4. Exhibit D

    Edges

    We see glass by its edges.

  5. Exhibit E

    Vanishes

    The glass seems to disappear.

Questions people ask about See Right Through Me

Why does Pyrex vanish in oil?

Light bends alike.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Index) · Wikipedia: Borosilicate glass

About what is Pyrex's index?

Borosilicate.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Oil) · Wikipedia: Refractive index

What kind of glass is Pyrex?

Heat resistant.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (No bending) · Wikipedia: Refractive index

What do our eyes rely on?

Refraction.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Edges) · Wikipedia: Refractive index

What liquid is used?

Similar index.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Vanishes) · Wikipedia: Refractive index

Test Your Knowledge

All quizzes →

5 questions, all from this case file. Answers are revealed instantly.

  1. Why does Pyrex vanish in oil?

    1. Similar refractive index
    2. It dissolves
    3. It melts
    4. It is painted
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Similar refractive index Light bends alike. Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Index) · Wikipedia: Borosilicate glass

  2. About what is Pyrex's index?

    1. 1.47
    2. 1.00
    3. 2.42
    4. 3.50
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. 1.47 Borosilicate. Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Oil) · Wikipedia: Refractive index

  3. What kind of glass is Pyrex?

    1. Borosilicate
    2. Lead crystal
    3. Plastic
    4. Quartz only
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Borosilicate Heat resistant. Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (No bending) · Wikipedia: Refractive index

  4. What do our eyes rely on?

    1. Edges and bending of light
    2. Smell
    3. Sound
    4. Heat
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Edges and bending of light Refraction. Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Edges) · Wikipedia: Refractive index

  5. What liquid is used?

    1. Vegetable oil
    2. Water
    3. Milk
    4. Mercury
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Vegetable oil Similar index. Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Vanishes) · Wikipedia: Refractive index

Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "See Right Through Me." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-332, last updated Sep 27, 2024. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/see-right-through-me/

Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/see-right-through-me/ · Last updated

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Cite a single fact by its ID, for example DD-332-F01 → https://detailenjoyer.com/case/see-right-through-me/#DD-332-F01

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