How does sun rays pass through the atmosphere layers?

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SUMMARY

Light, specifically electromagnetic radiation, does not require a medium to propagate through space, as it consists of oscillating electric and magnetic fields. The atmosphere allows certain wavelengths of light to pass through while being opaque to others, meaning light can travel through the atmosphere unimpeded, although it may interact with particles present. The concept of a medium, historically referred to as "aether," was disproven in the 19th century, establishing that light propagates through a vacuum without any additional medium.

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  • Understanding of electromagnetic radiation
  • Knowledge of atmospheric transparency and opacity
  • Familiarity with the historical concept of aether
  • Basic principles of light propagation
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  • Research the properties of electromagnetic waves
  • Study the interaction of light with atmospheric particles
  • Explore the historical experiments that disproved the existence of aether
  • Learn about the electromagnetic field and its role in light propagation
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Students of physics, educators in atmospheric sciences, and anyone interested in the fundamental principles of light and its interaction with the atmosphere.

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Light requires some medium to pass through, what's the medium in the space, and How does sunrays enters into the earth.
 
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josephcaritel said:
Light requires some medium to pass through,

No, it doesn't. Electromagnetic radiation consists of oscillating electric and magnetic fields, and these can exist and propagate in a vacuum.

josephcaritel said:
what's the medium in the space, and How does sunrays enters into the earth.

The atmosphere is transparent at some wavelengths, and opaque at others. Transparent just means that the light waves can simply pass through the atmosphere unimpeded by the particles that are present. (They interact with these particles and are slowed by them, but their progress is not stopped entirely).
 
Last edited:
josephcaritel said:
Light requires some medium to pass through, what's the medium in the space

That medium used to be known as "aether", and its existence was experimentally refuted in the 19th century. Modern physical theories believe that light propagates through the space without any other media.
 
Light is electro-magnetic waves. If you really must have a medium, it is the electro-magnetic field which, at every point in space is the vector sum of all electric and magnetic forces from all objects in the universe.
 

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