Why Is the Sky Blue Due to Light Scattering?

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The sky appears blue due to Rayleigh scattering, where shorter wavelengths of light, like blue, scatter more than longer wavelengths, such as red. This scattering is influenced by the air's nitrogen molecules, which absorb some light and preferentially scatter blue light. During sunsets, the light travels a longer distance through the atmosphere, allowing red wavelengths to scatter more prominently. The discussion also humorously touches on mowing grass, suggesting that if the sky were green, it would complicate the task of knowing when to stop mowing. Overall, the color of the sky is a result of light scattering, primarily influenced by the atmosphere's composition and the angle of sunlight.
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Please, answer the question, Why does the sky is blue?
 
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Because: the wind is high. It blows my mind.
 
Look up Rayleigh scattering on the web: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rayleigh_scattering
I like the derivation and discussion in Slater and Frank "Electromagnetism" Chapter XII better than in Jackson "Classical Electrodynamics"
 
Because if it were green, we wouldn't know where to stop mowing.
 
FredGarvin said:
Because if it were green, we wouldn't know where to stop mowing.

:smile:
 
clarityx said:
Why does the sky is blue?
Cos raindrops keep falling from it's head...
 
In short: the color we see is scattered light from the sun. However, the scattering process of air with light depends inversely with a fourth power on the wavelength, meaning that blue light (short wavelength) is way more likely to scatter than red light (long wavelength).

However, if a very long distance is travelled, longer wavelength photons will scatter as well, which you can see during a sunset. In case of a sunset, the sunlight "hoovers" over the surface of the Earth for a long distance until it reaches your eyes; draw the Earth as a circle and you will see why.
 
Not sure what youre asking. Do you mean "Why is the sky Blue?" I don't think the sky does blue. either way its what lennox said. The scattering of light. Thats all it is.
 
FredGarvin said:
Because if it were green, we wouldn't know where to stop mowing.

When does the grass is stopped mowing?
 
  • #10
Phrak said:
When does the grass is stopped mowing?
Think: why does the grass is mowed? The grass does is mowed to know when to stop.
 
  • #11
why is the sky blue ? Because god made it that way. is as good a reason as any .
the question should be how is the sky blue. basically what lennox said , it was explained to me this way its blue beacuse when the light hits the nitrogen molecules
it absorbs some of the light and blue is a higher energy wavelenght therefore blue light is scattered. sunsets are red becsue the angle of refraction is different and the light is traveling further through the air there fore red light is scattered.
 
  • #12
GetPhysical said:
Not sure what youre asking. Do you mean "Why is the sky Blue?" I don't think the sky does blue. either way its what lennox said. The scattering of light. Thats all it is.

Phrak said:
When does the grass is stopped mowing?

zoobyshoe said:
Think: why does the grass is mowed? The grass does is mowed to know when to stop.

Oh, stop! Many of the posters on this board had to learn English as a second language. How would you like to have to phrase question in Holoholo?
 
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