Question

After scattering, the light moves in:

• A. the same direction as the original light ray.
• B. opposite to the original direction of the light ray.
• C. all directions.
• D. the direction of the shortest path.

Answer 1

The correct option is C all directions.

In scattering, light is absorbed and re-emitted in all directions (as seen in the figure) without a change in the wavelength of the light ray.

A light of a given wavelength is scattered only by a particle of a size comparable to the wavelength. The colour of the scattered light depends on the size of the scattering particles.Very fine particles scatter mainly blue light while particles of larger size scatter light of longer wavelengths. If the size of the scattering particles is large enough, then, the scattered light may even appear white.