My daughter ask me this question. Road looks curved when we look far but when we near it looks stright why?

Question

My daughter ask me this question. Road looks curved when we look far but when we near it looks stright why?

Answer 1

it is nice and ok

Answer 2

Hi, Bhanu.  Hats off to your daughter for her sense of inquisitiveness that challenges the brains of elders.  When we look at the road from a long distance, we are able to see the larger part of the road and its actual shape.  If it is curved, we see it as a curved one.  When we approach nearer and nearer, we cannot  see the curve due to optical illusion.

Answer 3

Its like the parallax error-an illusion.

Answer 4

Well it's because we live on a curved plane. At a local distance, it would appear as if you're going straight, but at a global perspective you can see that it curves. Think:

What is straight on a sphere? This would refer to the great circles of the Earth.

Answer 5

It's perspective. When you are farther away, you can see more of the road, as well as it's relation to objects around. When you are closer, there is less of the road to see, and less objects with which your brain can relate. So you 'see' less of the curve than you do further away.

Answer 6

The shape of the earth is round and there won't be any  long straight road on it.That is why all the roads look curved.

Answer 7

Optical illusion.

Answer 8

When you're farther away, it is easier to notice things like that.  While farther away, the curve is more apparent.  Up close, it appears straight.  A fine example is Earth.  You, as an Earthican, percieve the Earth at a flat plane.  However, people who have travelled to Space see it in much the same way your daughter saw the rode - curved.  It's all perception.

Answer 9

If you want to know why, itis because of optical illusions, but if you want to tell your daughter, just said..its magic

Answer 10

because when you are looking at a point which is farther away it give you an overall view. just like maps...if you don't zoom out it would be difficult to point out the exact location

Answer 11

Optical illusion