Tricks of Vision

Here are some amazing optical tricks which children can learn and try it out with their friends.

The Book Rack Trick

Is segment AB shorter than  segment XY or are both the segments equal?

If you have said AB is shorter than XY then you were wrong. Both AB and XY are of the same length. It is the optical illusion that makes us think that segment AB is shorter than segment XY.

How to draw the book Rack?
Draw two parallel lines of equal length. Increase the length of the first line three times and divide the second line into three parts. Connect both the lines to form a book rack structure.

Now complete the book rack as shown above. You can cut 2 equal straw pieces of length AB and place them on AB and XY respectively. Then ask your friends if straw AB is smaller than XY or are they equal and see what they answer. Explain the trick to your friends too.

Similar Optical illusions

Here is another optical illusion where segment AB appears to be shorter than BC, although they are equal in length. 

 Arc A appears to be smaller than arc B, although they both are of the same size and shape.