Question

The phenomena of change in the direction of propagation of light caused by the
large numbers of molecules such as smoke, tiny water droplets, suspended particles
of dust and molecules of air present in earth’s atmosphere is called scattering of light. The most beautiful phenomenon of nature such as “Blue colour of sky “ , “White
colour of clouds” , “Red hues of sunrise and sunset” can be explained in the terms of
scattering of light. 2x1 = 2
(a) On what factors does the colour of the scattered light perceived by us
depends.
(b) “The amount of scattering of shorter wavelength is much more than the light
of longer wavelength” Justify your statement.

Answer 1

Dear Student,
i) The colour of scattered light perceived by us depends on the size of the particles from which it scatters.
A small size particle scatter light of shorter wavelength and large size particle scatter light of longer wavelength
ii) The amount of scattering is inversely proportional to the fourth power of wavelength. So more the wavelength lesser the scattering and leeser the wavelength more the scattering.
Regards