A Fascinating Demonstration of Changing Air Density Using a Mirror, Camera, Razor and Light

Illusion enthusiast Brusspup, who’s known for his amazing videos, performed a fascinating experiment in which changes in air density were shown using a concave mirror, a light source, a razor blade and a camera. This is known as the Schlieren flow visualization.

This setup allows you to see changes in air density. The point light source is aimed at the concave mirror. The concave mirror reflects to a focal point. There you use a sharp edged object to partially block the light which helps create a shadow effect that allows you to see air movement.

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.