The sun emits white light which is scattered by our atmosphere and the sky appears blue ,but when there is no atmosphere the sunlight is not scattered then the sky must appear white ,but why does it appear black?

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Solution

Dear Student,

Scattering is the phenomenon by which a beam of light is redirected in many different directions when it interacts with a particle of matter. When sunlight strikes molecules in our atmosphere, the light is redirected in many directions. The blue light is scattered more than the red light causing the sky to be blue.
In the space, there is no atmosphere. So, light will not scatter in space. This is the cause of dark sky when viewed from space.

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Similar questions

We know light gets scattered when it enters the earth's atmosphere. Why don’t then clouds appear blue rather white?

Q. "Violet scatters the most in the atmosphere but still the sky appears blue." Justify the given statement.

(a) Draw a neat and labelled diagram of the experimental set up for observing the scattering of light in a colloidal solution of sulphur to show how the sky appears blue, and the sun appears red at sunrise and sunset.
(b) Out of blue light and red light, which one is scattered more easily ?
(c) Which component of sunlight is scattered away when the sun appears red at sunrise or sunset ?
(d) What causes the scattering of blue component of sunlight in the atmosphere ?

Q. Assertion :In the absence of atmosphere, the sky would appear black.
Reason: The atmosphere scatters the light and hence we get blue color.

Q. Assertion :Fine particles in atmosphere scatter the light of shorter wavelength more. Reason: Sky appears blue.

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