Why Do Wheels Appear to Spin Backwards (at High Speeds)?

The video explains the wagon wheel effect, where wheels appear to spin backward at high speeds. This optical illusion is often seen in movies due to frame rates but also occurs in real life. Two theories explain this: one suggests our visual cortex processes images like a movie camera, while the other involves perceptual rivalry, where the brain interprets ambiguous scenes in multiple ways. The video concludes that the phenomenon is more complex than it seems.

What is the phenomenon called when car wheels appear to spin backward as they speed up?

• The Reverse Spin Effect

• The Backward Motion Effect

• The Wagon Wheel Effect

• The Optical Illusion Effect

How does the frame rate of cameras contribute to the wagon wheel effect in movies?

• By capturing images in black and white

• By capturing many images per second

• By capturing continuous footage

• By capturing fewer images per second

What role does the brain play in creating the illusion of continuous movement in movies?

• It speeds up the frame rate

• It fills in the gaps between images

• It slows down the frame rate

• It ignores the gaps between images

According to the visual cortex theory, how does the brain process sensory input?

• In random sequences

• In temporal packets

• In color-coded patterns

• In continuous streams

What is perceptual rivalry in the context of the wagon wheel effect?

• When the brain focuses on a single interpretation

• When the brain speeds up visual processing

• When the brain generates two interpretations of the same scene

• When the brain ignores visual input