From Geometric to Wave Optics: A Conceptual Change Strategy for Teaching the Mirage Phenomenon

Yeganeh, Mohammad

doi:10.48310/esip.2026.22594.1031

From Geometric to Wave Optics: A Conceptual Change Strategy for Teaching the Mirage Phenomenon

Document Type : Original Paper

Author

Mohammad Yeganeh

Department of Physics Education, Farhangian University, P.O. Box 14665-889, Tehran, Iran.

10.48310/esip.2026.22594.1031

Abstract

The mirage is traditionally explained through light refraction in thermally stratified air—a model rooted in geometrical optics. However, this classical framework faces empirical contradictions: field measurements reveal temperature gradients far smaller than required, yet mirages persist in cold, windy, and artificially illuminated conditions. Research by Tavassoly and colleagues resolves these anomalies by demonstrating that mirages are images formed directly on ground surfaces through coherent reflection at grazing angles—a phenomenon explicable only within wave optics. This model uniquely accounts for wavelength-dependent visibility and zero object-image separation, aligning with all observations. This article critically compares both frameworks, highlighting the limitations of geometrical optics and the explanatory power of wave optics in understanding this phenomenon. Furthermore, we propose a three-phase instructional strategy grounded in Conceptual Change Theory, addressing the Pedagogical Content Knowledge required for effective implementation. Through cognitive conflict, hands-on experimentation, and visual representation, students transition from geometric to wave-optics reasoning. By centering instruction on this indigenous scientific achievement, the approach fosters conceptual understanding, critical thinking, and national scientific identity, offering a novel pedagogical approach to optics education.

Keywords

Main Subjects

TPACK

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