Have you ever wondered why the color of the sky is blue? Or why the clouds are white? It occurs by the scattering of light by particles. Let us understand how.
Scattering of light
As sunlight enters the atmosphere of the earth, atoms and molecules of different gas present in the air absorb the light. And these atoms remits light in all directions.
Light scattering is processed by which small particles like dust, atmospheric particulates, cosmic dust z blood cell scatter light which causes optical phenomena like the blue color of the sky and halos.
Light is examined from its source. When it passes from one medium to another medium. The intensity of scattered light depends on the size of a particle and the wavelength of light. Shorter wavelength, high frequency scatter more due to waviness of a line and its intersection with the particle.
Longer wavelengths that have low frequencies are straighter and the chances of colliding with a particle are less so the chances are less. The bending of a multi-colored light is seen in the afternoon because of refraction and the total internal reflection of a light
The wavelength of sunlight forms the different colors in different directions.
Molecules with a larger size than the wavelength of light, experience a scattering effect differently it is known as the Mie effect. Because of the largeness of a particle light appears white. And therefore the clouds which are made up of droplets of water is white
The blue color is present in a major percentage in the lower wavelength. The wavelength of light scattering efficiency of small molecules in the atmosphere decreases.
Sun radiates light and rays fall into the earth’s envelope therefore sunlight gets scattered in the atmosphere.
How the sky appears red during the time of sunset or sunrise:
During the time of sunset and sunrise, as the position of the sun is very far away from earth, sunlight travels a longer distance through the atmosphere.
Blue light scatters more than red light. And therefore more red light reaches our eye than blue light And therefore both times sky appears.
See Also:
- Uses of gamma Rays
- Difference between concave and convex lens
- Uses of rectifiers
- Difference between equinox and solstice
- Optical Density
- Differences between density and relative density
- Differences between analog and digital signals
- Types of switches
- Poor conductors of electricity
- Difference between meteor and meteorites
