why is the sky blue?

Answer 1

LoL i laughed at this when i saw it. I was like oh no... It is because of the earth's atmosfere and how light passes through it.

Answer 2

Why is the sky blue?
This is a really interesting question. First of all we need to think about light. White light is actually made up of all the colours of the rainbow. Light takes the form of waves and all the different colours have a different wavelength.



Red light has the longest wavelength (720 nm) while violet has the shortest (380 nm). We see objects as different colours depending on how they interact with light waves- a red flower is absorbing all the colours except for red. The red wavelengths are are reflected so we see the flower as red. So now that we have that sorted, what does it have to do with the sky being blue?

The air around us isn't just empty, it is mainly made up of nitrogen and oxygen gases. The molecules of these gases are too small to see but big enough to alter the path of light waves. (Note: lots of people will tell you that it is dust and pollen in the air that scatters the light but they are wrong). If there were no gases in the air, all of the wavelengths of light from the sun would travel in a straight line to our eyes and we would see it as white against a completely black sky. Instead, the molecules in the air get in the way of the light but aren't large enough to effect the red light with the longest wavelength. However, the shorter wavelengths (violet and blue) hit the molecules in the air and are scattered in all directions. The scattered light hits other air molecules and the result is that by the time it reaches our eyes, the short wavelength light is coming from all directions.



Violet light is affected the most by this scattering so why do we see the sky as blue and not violet? Well the receptors in our eyes that detect colour are for red, blue and green light, and other colours are seen due to differing stimulation of these three receptors. This means that we are far more sensitive to blue light than violet.

At sunset, we often see the sun and the surrounding area as orangey red. This is because the light from the sun has much further to travel to reach us than during the day when the sun is directly overhead. The blue light becomes so scattered that it doesn't reach us. The red is also scattered to some degree but still gets to our eyes. So the sky looks red.

You can show this light scattering for yourself with a bowl of water with a little soap or milk added to it. If you shine a white light through the liquid the beam will appear slightly blue from the sides as the blue light is scattered by molecules in the water and will be reddish at the end as this light remains unaffected.

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.

Answer 4

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.

Answer 5

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.
Also
On Earth, the sun appears yellow. If you were out in space, or on the moon, the sun would look white. In space, there is no atmosphere to scatter the sun's light. On Earth, some of the shorter wavelength light (the blues and violets) are removed from the direct rays of the sun by scattering. The remaining colors together appear yellow.

Also, out in space, the sky looks dark and black, instead of blue. This is because there is no atmosphere. There is no scattered light to reach your eyes.

Answer 6

Long answers here, but here is a shorter one. Dust particles get caught up from winds in the atmosphere and the sky's color appears blue. When it is stormy, the clouds are darker and the sunlight is not as reflective, this darkens skies. In sunrises and sets, the Earths angle is different at your location, less light and the sun reflection varies by clouds and angles.Not only do we get blue skies,we get cleaner air to breathe, the Earth constantly replenishing itself, the winds, clouds, seas all come into play.Think of a hurricane as a big hickup.

Answer 7

Particles in the sky scatter the shorter wavelengths of sunlight more so red and orange pass through as in sun sets and blue is seen further from the sun.

Answer 8

The sky isn't any colour; you see blue light, which is the colour wavelength most refracted and scattered in the atmosphere.

Answer 9

God who made you as you like made sky blue, grey or red.

Answer 10

In reality, sky is NOT blue, it is dark.