Question

Why does bluish predominate in a clear sky?

Answer 1

Hint: The atmospheric interaction with sunlight makes us see the sky as blue in colour. This is because the colour blue scattered more than other colours and moreover it travels as shorter and smaller waves.

Complete step-by-step solution -
The fine particle and the molecules of air have smaller size than the wavelength of visible light. Then in the atmosphere the sunlight passes through the fine particle in the air and scatters the blue colour more strongly to the red. This is how the scatter blue light enters our eyes and the sky seems to be blue. The term scattering of light used in this question means the phenomenon of throwing light in various random directions and light is scattered when it falls on the various types of object, particles in a part. In the impact of incoming solar radiation there are three types of scattering:
- Raylight scatter
- Mie scatter
- Non-selective scatter
According to the ray light law the intercity of scattered light is inversely proportional to the fourth power of wavelength as we mentioned above that the wavelength of blue colour is small as compared to the red light which has the longest wavelength. That’s why the blue light scatter more than the red light In other words scattering can also be broadly defined as redirection of radiation out of original direction of proportion.

Note: There is a huge difference between scattering and refraction. Refraction happens on the transmission of light whereas scattering happens on the reflection of light. There is also a difference between scattering and dispersion of light. As we mention above scattering refers to the reflection of light whereas dispersion happens when light is split into its consequent colours.