why is the sky blue?

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Why Is the Sky Blue? How does light scatter?

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Why Is the Sky Blue?. How does light scatter?. Why Is the S ky Blue?. Light travels in a straight line until it hits matter Air is not empty; it contains oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and particles When sunlight strikes a oxygen or nitrogen molecule, the molecule vibrates. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Page 1: Why Is the Sky Blue?

Why Is the Sky Blue?

How does light scatter?

Page 2: Why Is the Sky Blue?

Why Is the Sky Blue?

Light travels in a straight line until it hits matter

Air is not empty; it contains oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and particles

When sunlight strikes a oxygen or nitrogen molecule, the molecule vibrates

Page 3: Why Is the Sky Blue?

What is Scattering?

o A light beam strikes an atom and excites electrons to a higher energy orbital

Page 4: Why Is the Sky Blue?

What is Scattering?

o The electrons briefly stay at the higher energy orbital then jump back down and reemit the light in many different directions

Page 5: Why Is the Sky Blue?

Air components scatter the high-frequency light

Why Is the Sky Blue?

Page 6: Why Is the Sky Blue?

How Do Our Eyes Detect Color?o Our eyes have

over 120 million rods and cones on our retina

o These receptors process light

Page 7: Why Is the Sky Blue?

Color and Our Eyes Continuedo Rods transmit

black and white images

o Cones transmit color and sharpness

Page 8: Why Is the Sky Blue?

Color, Our Eyes and Rods Continued

• We have more sensitivity with green sensing cones than red or blue

Page 9: Why Is the Sky Blue?

Why Is the Sky Blue?

Violet light is scattered the most by air and particles

But we have a hard time seeing violet

Blue light is second most scattered light

Page 10: Why Is the Sky Blue?

Why Is the Sky Blue?

Page 11: Why Is the Sky Blue?

Think-Pair-Share

Your Turn….

Page 12: Why Is the Sky Blue?

Why are Clouds White?

Clouds are made up of water droplets

The droplets vary in size

Small droplets scatter high frequencies like violet while large ones scatter low frequency light like red

Page 13: Why Is the Sky Blue?

Why are Clouds White?

A wide variety of color frequencies are scattered

The overall result is a white cloud

Page 14: Why Is the Sky Blue?

SmartBoard ExerciseWhy is the Sunset Red?

Page 15: Why Is the Sky Blue?

Homework

Read pp. 570-573

Answer Ques. 18, 20, 39, 40