Describe what is happening to the pencils in the image above as they sit in a glass of water. Then, name the phenomenon that causes this.

When pencils are placed in a glass of water, they appear to bend or break at the surface of the water. This visual distortion occurs because of the refraction of light. Refraction is the bending of light as it passes from one medium to another – in this case, from air into water.

As light travels from air (a less dense medium) into water (a denser medium), it slows down and changes direction. The change in speed and direction causes our eyes to perceive the pencil as being displaced or distorted at the water's surface.

The phenomenon can be observed clearly with objects like pencils or straws, where the part of the pencil above the water looks misaligned with the part submerged in water. The bending effect can vary depending on the angle of viewing and the depth of the water.

This natural optical effect is not only interesting but also illustrates key principles of optics and how light interacts with different materials. In summary, the bending of the pencils happens due to light refraction at the interface between air and water.