Rayleigh scattering vs raman scattering

In summary, both rayleigh scattering and raman scattering are second order processes. The difference is only that the final state of the atom/molecule coindices with the initial state of the atom/molecule in rayleigh scattering, while in raman scattering, the final state is different from the initial state. Since there are many final states, the strength of the raman scattering should by much larger than rayleigh scattering.
  • #1
wdlang
307
0
both rayleigh scattering and raman scattering are second order processes

the difference is only that the final state of the atom/molecule coindices with the initial state of the atom/molecule in rayleigh scattering, while in raman scattering, the final state is different from the initial state.

since there are many final states, the strength of the raman scattering should by much larger than rayleigh scattering, is not it?

Why people contribute the blue sky to rayleigh scattering but not raman scattering?
 
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  • #2
Rayleigh..here no energy is lost. Incoming light's wave length and scattered light wave length will be same. This is very good at small wavelengths..
Raman...Here energy is lost (i.e., inelastic process). Very small (1 in 10000000 photon) will suffer Raman scattering. Remaining is Rayleigh scattering. Raman effect makes the molecules to rotate/excite. Also since this is very small and so one cannot say blue color of sky is due to Raman effect.
 
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  • #3
Rajini said:
Rayleigh..here no energy is lost. Incoming light's wave length and scattered light wave length will be same. This is very good at small wavelengths..
Raman...Here energy is lost (i.e., inelastic process). Very small (1 in 10000000 photon) will suffer Raman scattering. Remaining is Rayleigh scattering. Raman effect makes the molecules to rotate/excite. Also since this is very small and so one cannot say blue color of sky is due to Raman effect.

i do not think the rate of raman scattering is slow than rayleigh scattering

they are both second order processes
 
  • #4
Rayleigh it is elastic (incoming and scattered light ray will have same energy) process and Raman is Inelastic (energy may be increased or decreased!) process!..This is what i want to say..May be both effect occur at same rate! But the flux (i mean more photons) is more in Rayleigh. For Rayleigh to occur the scatters should be small than wavelength of photon..
 

1. What is the difference between Rayleigh scattering and Raman scattering?

Rayleigh scattering is the scattering of light by particles that are much smaller than the wavelength of the light, while Raman scattering is the inelastic scattering of light by molecules. The main difference between the two is that Rayleigh scattering does not change the energy of the scattered light, while Raman scattering does.

2. How does Rayleigh scattering contribute to the blue color of the sky?

Rayleigh scattering is responsible for the blue color of the sky because it scatters shorter, blue wavelengths of light more than longer, red wavelengths. This means that more blue light is scattered in all directions, resulting in a blue appearance of the sky.

3. What is the main application of Raman scattering in scientific research?

Raman scattering is commonly used in scientific research to analyze the chemical composition of materials. By measuring the Raman spectra, researchers can identify the molecular vibrations and structure of a substance, providing valuable information for various fields such as chemistry, biology, and materials science.

4. How does the intensity of Rayleigh scattering compare to that of Raman scattering?

The intensity of Rayleigh scattering is much stronger than that of Raman scattering. This is because Rayleigh scattering occurs more frequently due to the abundance of small particles in the atmosphere, while Raman scattering requires specific molecular vibrations to occur.

5. Can both Rayleigh and Raman scattering occur simultaneously?

Yes, both Rayleigh and Raman scattering can occur simultaneously. In fact, in many cases, both types of scattering are observed together. However, the scattered light from each process can be distinguished by their different spectral signatures and polarization properties.

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