BETA
Chapter 1
How light meets our atmosphere
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Answer
Chapter 2
The fiery magic of sunsets
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Answer
Chapter 3
Skies of other worlds
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Answer
Chapter 4
Through the human eye
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YOUR GOAL
Master of Why the sky is blue and sunsets are red
Ch 2 · The fiery magic of sunsets
artiteacher Scatter light waves through the atmosphere to discover why the sky changes color.
artiteacher Rayleigh Scattering
Scatter the blue, scatter the blue / Only the red makes it through
artiteacher Larger particles like dust, pollen, and water droplets scatter light differently, creating brilliant pinks and purples.
artiteacher With the blue light scattered away over the long path, only the longest red and orange wavelengths make it through.
Fun Fact
Volcano sunsets: The 1883 Krakatoa eruption created sunsets so red that New York firefighters rushed to extinguish imaginary fires.
Glossary
rayleigh scattering (noun)
The scattering of light by particles that are much smaller than the wavelength of the light. British physicist Lord Rayleigh first explained in 1871 how this process produces vibrant red hues at sunset.
The scattering of light by particles that are much smaller than the wavelength of the light. British physicist Lord Rayleigh first explained in 1871 how this process produces vibrant red hues at sunset.
Quiz
How does the path length of sunlight through the atmosphere at sunset compare to noon?
Quiz
What color do sunsets often become when the air is highly polluted with large dust particles?
Quiz
What substance released by volcanoes creates light-scattering aerosols in the stratosphere?
Quiz
What type of light scattering is caused by particles larger than light's wavelength, like dust or water droplets?
Quiz
Which historical volcanic eruption in 1883 caused brilliant red sunsets worldwide for years?