Rain clouds appear black in colour despite having the Sun above them ...
Why do rain clouds appear black in colour despite having the Sun above them?
Explanation:
Rain clouds appear black in colour despite having the Sun above them primarily because clouds scatter the light they receive. Let's understand each option given in the question to arrive at the correct answer:
1. Clouds accumulate electrostatic charge:
This option is incorrect as the accumulation of electrostatic charge in clouds does not cause them to appear black in colour.
2. Rain-bearing clouds absorb most of the solar insolation falling on them:
This option is incorrect as rain-bearing clouds do not absorb most of the solar insolation falling on them. Instead, they reflect and scatter a significant portion of the sunlight they receive.
3. Clouds scatter light received by them:
This option is correct. Clouds are made up of tiny water droplets or ice crystals, which act as scattering centers for the incoming sunlight. When sunlight passes through a cloud, the individual water droplets scatter the light in all directions. This scattering of light causes the cloud to appear white or gray to the observer on the ground. However, when rain clouds become thicker and denser, they scatter more light and absorb less, resulting in a darker appearance. The thicker the cloud, the more light it scatters, making it appear darker or even black.
Therefore, the correct answer is option 'D' - 3 only, which states that rain clouds appear black in colour because clouds scatter the light received by them.
In conclusion, rain clouds appear black in colour despite having the Sun above them because of the scattering of light by the water droplets or ice crystals present in the clouds. The thicker and denser the clouds, the more light they scatter, resulting in a darker appearance.
Rain clouds appear black in colour despite having the Sun above them ...
- The colour of any object depends on its ability to reflect selected wavelengths of light. Consequently, if the object does not reflect any colour, it appears black.
- The tiny droplets of water in rain clouds scatter the while light of the Sun. Red is scattered first, and violet the last.
- This happens at such a high altitude that no rays of the Sun reach the bottom of the cloud. Thus, we do not see the rays of the Sun, and this results in a dark effect. As normal clouds have no water, the light is not scattered and thus looks white.