Why is the sky blue?

Answer 1

This is a very good question. It has to do with what elements are in the air and how they react with certain wavelengths of light. Every element has a unique configuration, likewise when light is shown through them they produce a unique color. Some colors are reflected by the element and some are absorbed, again, because of the element's unique configuration.

When light shines through the sky it is absorbed and reflected by many different elements. Light when not seperated contains all colors, called white light.

Some wavelengths (colors) are absorbed by certain elements (gases) and some are reflected by other gases because of their unique configurations. Blue is reflected and scattered mostly from the gases (oxygen and nitrogen) because it has a short wavelength. Since Oxygen and Nitrogen make up most of the atmosphere they have the strongest impact on the color that we see. This blue light is scattered the most and we see blue.

Everything in this world has a particular color because it's properties absorb every other color and reflect the color that we see. This is again because of the unique elements that it has. For example a blue shirt is blue because blue light is mostly reflected and all other colors are absorbed. This is another reason why dark shirts are hotter than white shirts when they sit out in the sun. White shirts reflect most light and do not get as hot as the darker shirts, which absorb more light.

So watch out, that beautiful red and orange sunset you see is actually pollution!

Answer 2

The color of the sky is a result of diffuse sky radiation.Diffuse sky radiation is solar radiation reaching the earth's surface after having been scattered from the direct solar beam by molecules or suspensoids in the atmosphere.
The sky is blue partly because air scatters short-wavelength light in preference to longer wavelengths. Where the sunlight is nearly tangent to the Earth's surface, the light's path through the atmosphere is so long that much of the blue and even yellow light is scattered out, leaving the sun rays and the clouds it illuminates red, at sunrise and sunset.

considering the fact that we have oxygen on earth and there is not one on the moon the colors of the sky are different in that places. different molecules and space between them are reason for colors.

Answer 3

The blue color of the sky is due to Rayleigh scattering. As light moves through the atmosphere, most of the longer wavelengths pass straight through. Little of the red, orange and yellow light is affected by the air.

However, much of the shorter wavelength light is absorbed by the gas molecules. The absorbed blue light is then radiated in different directions. It gets scattered all around the sky. Whichever direction you look, some of this scattered blue light reaches you. Since you see the blue light from everywhere overhead, the sky looks blue.

As you look closer to the horizon, the sky appears much paler in color. To reach you, the scattered blue light must pass through more air. Some of it gets scattered away again in other directions. Less blue light reaches your eyes. The color of the sky near the horizon appears paler or white.

Answer 4

Because algae in the water causes the oceans to look blue, the sun's rays bounce off the water and reflect in the sky - causing the sky to look blue.

Answer 5

A clear cloudless day-time sky is blue because molecules in the air scatter blue light from the sun more than they scatter red light. When we look towards the sun at sunset, we see red and orange colours because the blue light has been scattered out and away from the line of sight.

Answer 6

The sky is not blue it only appears that way because the sun reflects off of deep space giving it the illusion that it is blue

Answer 7

The gas partcicles in the atmosphere break light into it's individual frequencies. Blue light is scatterd more then the others so that's the colour the sky appears to be.

Answer 8

It comes from the angle that sunlight hits the moisture in the air. When light hits a mist of water you see a rainbow, with the slant of sunlight hitting the atmosphere it just picks up the blue range.

Answer 9

The light hitting the moisture in the air bounces off and looks blue.

Answer 10

The sunlight has all colors.
In the earth's atmosphere the blue has been scattered completely. The red is only broken there.
(That is why the sun is red during sunset and sunrise.)