Why doesn't find command find the directory when run from ~?

Question

There is a directory under /tmp with the name test_copy.

$ ls /tmp/test_copy/
a.sh b.sh  

$ cd /tmp  
/tmp$ find . -name test_copy  
./test_copy

But if I run the following find command it does not return anything.

~/scripts$ find /tmp -name test_copy  
~/scripts$  

Why can't find find the directory in the last case?

Answer 1

If /tmp is a symbolic link, find won't enter the directory and will just stop, finding nothing.

On the other hand, any of the following commands will work:

find -H /tmp -name test_copy
find /tmp/ -name test_copy

(the ending / dereferences the symlink)