Light Phenomena: Reasons Explained

In summary, light is a form of electromagnetic radiation that is visible to the human eye and is made up of particles called photons. It travels in straight lines and can be absorbed, reflected, or refracted when it encounters matter. The color of light is determined by its wavelength, with shorter wavelengths appearing as blue or violet and longer wavelengths appearing as red or orange. Reflection and refraction are two ways that light can interact with objects, with reflection involving bouncing off an object and refraction involving passing through a material and changing direction.
  • #1
AlchemistK
158
0
The following are some very basic commonly observed phenomena of light.
I need the reasoning of the statements with as much detail as possible.


1. The sky appears blue.
2. Clouds appear white.(why don't they scatter light?)
3. The sky appears reddish during sunset or sunrise.
4. The sun appears oval during sunset or sunrise but circular at noon.
 
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  • #2
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=94379

See #1 in above link.

We help, but we don't do people's homework for them.
 

1. What is light?

Light is a form of electromagnetic radiation that is visible to the human eye. It is made up of particles called photons that travel in waves at the speed of light.

2. How does light travel?

Light travels in straight lines, known as rays, until it is either absorbed or reflected by an object. It can also refract, or change direction, when it passes through different materials.

3. What causes different colors of light?

The color of light is determined by its wavelength. Shorter wavelengths appear blue or violet, while longer wavelengths appear red or orange. White light is a combination of all the colors of the rainbow.

4. What is the difference between reflection and refraction of light?

Reflection is when light bounces off an object, like a mirror. Refraction is when light passes through a material and changes direction, like when light passes through a prism.

5. How does light interact with matter?

When light encounters matter, it can either be absorbed, transmitted, or reflected. The type of interaction depends on the properties of the matter, such as its color, texture, and transparency.

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