Question

Which of the following are examples of scattering of light?
(a) Blue color of the sky
(b) Reddening of the sun at sunrise and sunset
(c) Color of water in deep seas and oceans
(d) All of the above

Answer 1

Hint: In this question use the basic concept of scattering that is when energy waves such as light, sound and various electromagnetic waves are deflected from the straight path due to imperfections in the medium it is called as scattering. Then think of the concepts that are involved in the given options. This approach will help get the right answer.

Complete Step-by-Step solution:
As we know there are seven colors in the light spectrum which is known as VIBGYOR.
When energy waves such as light, sound and various electromagnetic waves are deflected from the straight path due to imperfections in the medium called scattering.
Just think of when there is full of clouds in the sky so that the sunlight does not come to us with full intensity i.e. the intensity of light decreases due to clouds as the light rays are scattered or deflected in the multiple directions.
And we all know that the wavelength of red is highest from any color, and blue has shorter wavelength.
Thus when the sunlight passes through the water and air, the fine particles scatter the blue color (i.e. towards shorter wavelength) more strongly than red (i.e. towards larger wavelength), this scattered blue light when enters in our eyes and makes the ocean and sky appear blue.
And during sunrise and sunset sunlight passes through thicker layers of the air having larger particles that scatter light of longer wavelengths such as the red end of the spectrum.
Therefore at sunrise and sunset the sun appears red.
So this is the required answer.
Hence option (D) is the correct answer.

Note – Tyndall effect is also a very good example that depicts scattering. Tyndall effect can be observed when sunlight passes through the canopy of a dense forest. Amongst all the colors blue color is scattered most and more easily because it has the shortest wavelength and that’s why the sky appears blue. However red color is scattered least.