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It is said that light travels in straight lines. Although not always true, so why is...

It is said that light travels in straight lines. Although not always true, so why is it beloved that light travels this way? Give an example that shows the situations in which it is not true. Provide numbers as well.
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Answer #1

Farmat's Principle tells that the path taken between two points by a ray of light is the path that can be traversed in the least time. Light travels in the straight line because it does not generally interact with the medium, It does travel in a line but propagates as a wave.

Let's suppose an experiment,

We can arranges three pieces of card, with holes in, in an uneven line. The light stops and cannot travel through all three cards. When we arranges the holes in a straight line, the light can travel through. This proves that light travels in straight line.

Although in optical fiber you may assume that light travels in non linear path, but that is not the matter , during internal reflection within the fiber light always move in straight line between two points.  

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