Explain this phenomenon:
a) The colour of clear sky is blue.
b) Near the horizon, Sun appears red.
c) At noon, the sun appears white
Answers
Explanation:
a) Gases and particles in Earth's atmosphere scatter sunlight in all directions. Blue light is scattered more than other colors because it travels as shorter, smaller waves. This is why we see a blue sky most of the time.
b)At sunrise, the sun is near the horizon; hence, sunlight has to travel a longer distance through the atmosphere to reach us. ... Thus, the red colour present in sunlight, which has a longer wavelength and is scattered the least, reaches our eye.
c)Because the sun is overhead at noon, there is the least amount of scattering, therefore it appears white. When it is overhead, there is less air to travel through, and dust and other particles scatter, which will be reduced if the distance travelled in the air is reduced
Explanation:
a)Gases and particles in Earth's atmosphere scatter sunlight in all directions. Blue light is scattered more than other colors because it travels as shorter, smaller waves. This is why we see a blue sky most of the time.
b)At sunrise, the sun is near the horizon; hence, sunlight has to travel a longer distance through the atmosphere to reach us. ... Thus, the red colour present in sunlight, which has a longer wavelength and is scattered the least, reaches our eye.
c)Because the sun is overhead at noon, there is the least amount of scattering, therefore it appears white. When it is overhead, there is less air to travel through, and dust and other particles scatter, which will be reduced if the distance travelled in the air