Page 1 - Lesson note scattering of light
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SAI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
PHYSICS
CLASS X
Chapter: LIGHT(Human eye and the colourful world)
MODULE-40
LESSON NOTES: Scattering of light,Tyndall effect
Scattering of light:
The phenomenon of deflection of light in various random directions is known as
scattering of light.
Light is scattered when it falls on various types of suspended particles in its path.
The lights of shorter wave length are scattered easily.
Depending upon the size of particles, the scattering can be of white sun light as
such or of the coloured lights which make up the white sunlight.
Why the sky is blue:
The scattering of blue component of the white sun light by air molecules present in
the atmosphere causes the blue colour of the sky.
When sun light passes through the atmosphere ,most of the longer wave length
light(such as red,orange,yellow etc.) present in it ,do not scattered much by the air
molecule and passes straight through.The shorter wave length blue light is however
scattered all around the sky
by air molecules (nitrogen and oxygen molecules) in the atmosphere. Thus the sky
appears blue.
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