Question

Question 28
How can we explain the reddish appearance of sun at sunrise or sunset? Why does it not appear red at noon?

Answer 1

At the time of sunrise or sunset, the position of the sun is very far away from us. The sunlight travels longer distance through the atmosphere of earth before reaching our eyes. Scattering of blue or any other colour of light is more than the scattering of red light. As a result of this, more red lights reaches our eyes than any other colour. Hence at sunset and sunrise, sun and the sky appear red.
During noon, the sun is overhead and sunlight travels less distance through the earth's atmosphere to reach our eyes. In this case, the scattering of almost all colours is very small. Hence, the sun appears white.