Water drops shine on a lotus leaf due to:

The correct answer is total internal reflection.

Key Points

• Water drops shine on a lotus leaf primarily due to total internal reflection.
• Total internal reflection occurs when light travels from a denser medium to a less dense medium, causing the light to reflect entirely at the boundary instead of refracting.
• The surface structure of the lotus leaf, which is hydrophobic, helps maintain the water droplets' spherical shape, enhancing total internal reflection.
• This phenomenon creates a sparkling effect, making the water drops appear shiny.

Additional Information

• Refraction:
  • Refraction is the bending of light as it passes from one medium to another with different densities.
  • It occurs due to a change in the speed of light in different media.
• Reflection:
  • Reflection is the change in direction of light when it bounces off a surface.
  • It follows the law of reflection, where the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection.
• Diffraction:
  • Diffraction is the spreading of light waves as they pass through a narrow aperture or around obstacles.
  • It results in the formation of patterns due to the interference of waves.
• Hydrophobicity:
  • Hydrophobic surfaces repel water, preventing it from spreading and forming flat droplets.
  • The lotus leaf is a classic example of a hydrophobic surface due to its microscopic structure.