Why does sun appear red at sunrise and sunset?a)Because the wavelength...
The Sun appearing red at sunrise and sunset is due to the large wavelength of red color.Explanation:
When the Sun is low on the horizon during sunrise and sunset, its light has to pass through a larger portion of the Earth's atmosphere before reaching our eyes. This passage through the atmosphere causes the sunlight to undergo a phenomenon called scattering.
Scattering:Scattering is the process by which light is deflected and redirected in different directions as it interacts with particles or molecules in the atmosphere. There are two main types of scattering: Rayleigh scattering and Mie scattering.
Rayleigh Scattering:Rayleigh scattering is the scattering of light by particles or molecules that are smaller than the wavelength of the light. This type of scattering is responsible for the blue color of the sky during daytime. The shorter wavelengths of blue light are scattered more than the longer wavelengths of red light, causing the blue light to disperse in all directions.
During sunrise and sunset, the Sun is closer to the horizon, and the sunlight has to pass through a greater distance of the Earth's atmosphere. As a result, the blue and green wavelengths of light are scattered and dispersed in various directions, leaving behind the longer wavelengths of red and orange light. This scattering process is more pronounced for shorter wavelengths, and thus the red light is less affected and continues to travel relatively straight to our eyes.
Large Wavelength of Red Color:The color of light is determined by its wavelength. Red light has a longer wavelength compared to blue light. The wavelength of red light is approximately 620-750 nanometers, while the wavelength of blue light is around 450-495 nanometers.
Since the red light has a longer wavelength, it is less affected by scattering during its passage through the Earth's atmosphere. As a result, the red light from the Sun can reach our eyes more directly compared to shorter wavelengths, giving the Sun a reddish appearance at sunrise and sunset.
Therefore, the reason why the Sun appears red at sunrise and sunset is due to the large wavelength of red color, which allows it to pass through the Earth's atmosphere with minimal scattering and reach our eyes.