Why does the air look all wavy when its hot?

Question

Why does the air look all wavy when its hot?

Answer 1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirage

Answer 2

The  air has a mass and a density just like everything else. As light passes through cold air,and then to hot air, the density changes slightly slowing or speeding up the velocity of the light passing through. This is what creates the waves you see on hot days.

Answer 3

That is a good question.

I think because heat generates movement in the air.

Answer 4

haha i was thinking the same thing this afternoon whilst staring at the side of my car door. long story.

Answer 5

It's called "heat convection". It occurs when the heat is rising from the surface of the ground to higher area. Why does this happen? Heat always rises, cool air always sinks. This is also a part connecting to the high and low pressures that you see on the weather forecast all the time... we won't get in to that...

Anyway, that's what it is. For more visit this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_convec...

Answer 6

Its the heat waves coming off the ground.

Answer 7

peyote.

Answer 8

Because air is a gas.

Answer 9

Hot air is less dense than cool air, and when you have pockets of hot air rising through cool air, you've basically got a bunch of lenses rising through the air and it bends the light passing through.

The rising hot air comes from the sun heating the ground which heats the air right above it.

Answer 10

Molecules are bouncing off of one another with increased speed. I'm not saying you see the molecules, but you see...well whatever particles are present that are visible. Dust? Steam?

Answer 11

cuz the flammess.

Answer 12

it's not the air you see, it's moisture from humidity and stuff like that

Answer 13

ooooo whoooooo its magic

lol no

its really heat waves that are visible, its pretty cool.

Answer 14

Currents in the air are caused by rising heat.

Light is refracted when passing through this.

Answer 15

its the heat waves

Answer 16

Air density changes with temperature; cold air is denser than hot air and will sink. Hot air rises.  When you have pockets of air at different temperatures all mixed together, you have pockets of air at different densities.  Light travels through substances at different speeds depending onthe densities of the material through which it passes.  When you have a pocket of cooler air next to warmer air, the boundary between them causes the light to bend and to reflect.  It is this bending that causes the shimmering or waviness when you look through it.  Mirages are cause by this also.

Answer 17

its the heat coming off the cement

Answer 18

Because your hallucinating!

Answer 19

gases and moisture and stuff

Answer 20

the heat in the air disrupts the particles