Explanation: Refraction of light at the surface of the water makes swimming pools appear shallower than its actual depth when viewed from directly above. The reason is that the rays of light reaching us from the object at the bottom of the water do not come straight to us.
Why does a pond look shallow?
As these rays get refracted into the air, they bend away from the normal. When these two refracted rays are produced backwards they seem to meet at a point higher than the bottom of the pond. This point gives the apparent position of the bottom of the pond, therefore, the pond appears to be shallower.
Do all pools have a shallow end?
A traditional pool has a shallow end on one side, about 3.5′ deep and eventually drops to 5′ or deeper. A pool that has a diving board requires at least an 8′ deep end. … Food for thought:The average swimming pool ranges from 30′ – 40′ in length. With that being said, the average shallow end is around 3-1/2′ deep.