How would the color of sunlight change if the atmosphere were much more dense?
Because of the refraction of sunlight by the atmosphere itself, the sun will appear to be higher in the sky than it actually is. As incoming sunlight passes through a more dense atmosphere, shorter wavelengths of light (violet and blue) are efficiently scattered away by particles suspended in the atmosphere.
Can clouds be blue?
Green and Blue Clouds A cloud can look blue if it is heavily shaded and is illuminated by the scattered blue light of the blue sky. Probably the most unusual colour for a cloud is green. This is thought to be due to a cloud containing a large amount of water being back lit by reddish light, such as at sunset.
Why is sky blue in Colour?
The sky is blue due to a phenomenon called Raleigh scattering. This scattering refers to the scattering of electromagnetic radiation (of which light is a form) by particles of a much smaller wavelength. These shorter wavelengths correspond to blue hues, hence why when we look at the sky, we see it as blue.
What colors can clouds be?
The amount of light absorbed versus light reflected is what produces clouds that range from bright white to almost black. Clouds often take on a blue-gray hue when rain droplets scatter light.
What color would the sky be if the atmosphere was thicker?
If the atmosphere were really, really thick, we might see a dull orange or reddish glow from the entire sky, because only those very long wavelengths of light could make it through the atmosphere to reach the ground at all.
Why is the sky pink?
Besides atmospheric gases, water droplets, and dust particles, air pollutants also determine the sky’s color at sunrise and sunrise. Aerosols suspended in the air scatter sunlight into a band of colors. When there are more aerosols or smog, more sunlight is scattered, resulting in purple or pink sunsets.
What color is snow?
white
Snow most frequently appears white, but deep snow can act as a filter, absorbing more of one color and less of another. Deep snow tends to absorb red light, reflecting the blue tints often seen in snow.
Why do clouds turn GREY?
It is the thickness, or height of clouds, that makes them look gray. The tiny water droplets and ice crystals in clouds are just the right size to scatter all colors of light, compared with the smaller molecules of air that scatter blue light most effectively. When light contains all colors, we perceive it as white.
Is the sun black?
As with all matter, the sun emits a “black body spectrum” that is defined by its surface temperature. A black body spectrum is the continuum of radiation at many different wavelengths that is emitted by any body with a temperature above absolute zero. So one might say that the sun is blue-green!
Are clouds GREY?
So why are clouds sometimes grey? Cloud bases are often grey as a result of the same scattering that makes them white. When light is scattered in a cloud it usually is sent back upwards, or out to the sides of the cloud, making the tops and sides of the cloud whiter than the base which receives less light.
Why is the color of air blue?
Pure air is blue, which is also true for pure water. However, the color of air is impossible to see unless it’s been liquified. Liquid air is intensely blue. In the atmosphere, the color of the air is so attenuated that it is drowned out by other effects such as Rayleigh scattering (which makes the sky look blue for a completely unrelated reason).
Why does hot air have a lower density than cold air?
You are exactly right. The molecules in hot air are moving faster than the molecules in cold air. Because of this, the molecules in hot air tend to be further apart on average, giving hot air a lower density.
What is the color of liquid air?
Liquid air is intensely blue. In the atmosphere, the color of the air is so attenuated that it is drowned out by other effects such as Rayleigh scattering (which makes the sky look blue for a completely unrelated reason). You need very sensitive equipment to measure the blue color of air in its gaseous state.
Can you see the color of the air?
However, the color of air is impossible to see unless it’s been liquified. Liquid air is intensely blue. In the atmosphere, the color of the air is so attenuated that it is drowned out by other effects such as Rayleigh scattering (which makes the sky look blue for a completely unrelated reason).