General Science • PhysicsEasy
Which phenomenon causes the blue color of the sky and the reddish appearance of the sun at sunrise and sunset?
A. Total internal reflection
B. Rayleigh scattering✓ Correct Answer
C. Refraction
D. Interference
💡 Solution & Explanation
Rayleigh scattering explains the preferential scattering of shorter blue wavelengths of light by atmospheric gas molecules, yielding the blue sky and reddish solar disks. Refraction and total internal reflection account for phenomena like mirages and rainbow formations rather than atmospheric color gradients. This scattering intensity varies inversely with the fourth power of the wavelength of light.
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