rayleigh scattering and dispersion

Rayleigh scattering refers to the phenomenon where light particles (photons) get scattered by particles in the atmosphere, resulting in the scattering of shorter wavelengths (blue and violet) of light more than longer wavelengths (red and orange). This scattering causes the sky to appear blue. Dispersion, on the other hand, refers to the process of separating white light into its component colors (wavelengths) when it passes through a medium, typically a prism or water droplets. This separation occurs because different wavelengths of light travel at different speeds and, as a result, bend or refract differently, creating the spectrum of colors.

Explore

Requires login.