We see objects as colours because their molecules reflect/scatter/absorb light in a particular way.
When the Sun's white light shines through a large mass of air it always scatters the blue frequency photons (which is what makes the sky blue). Is it therefore correct to say that Air is translucent blue, not transparent?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rayleigh_scattering
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diffuse_sky_radiation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color
2006-08-20 11:09:47 · 10 answers · asked by Quasimojo 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
I have wondered about this question myself. If a substance's color is determined solely by the spectrum of light that it sends to the eye, regardless of the mechanism, then I would have to agree that the color of air is a very faint blue.The color of liquid oxygen is definitely blue, and the air is ~20.9% Oxygen. (Liquid Nitrogen appears totally colorless to my eye.) Water is also very faintly blue, and this is obvious when viewing the Earth from sace, for instance, or when peering into a glacier. Water vapour is a sizable component to the air in most locations on Earth. So I say the answer is yes.
2006-08-20 14:29:48 · answer #1 · answered by Sciencenut 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Earth's Atmosphere scatters Blue more than other colours only when the light is falling more or less perpendicular to the surface of that part of the earth from where you are observing the Blue sky. If it falls more or less in a parallel direction or in very acute angles, then since the Red is least scattered, it travel's more and the Sky appears Red. So which colour is the sky? Blue or Red? Or any of the intermediate shades it assumes depending upon the conditions? Why should we prefer any one of these colours over another? And it is not just the Air in the Atmosphere which behaves this way. Even water and glass behave or any other in the same way. Are we then to say water and glass are Blue?
The important thing here is to realise that the Air and water vapour in the Atmosphere appear Blue during most of the day because multiple layers of it scatters light. And in order for that to happen it needs to be trasparent. This is very different from other coloured objects like say..a Red flag. A Red Flag does not scatter light, It merely absorbs all other frequencies except 'Red'.
That is the reason we say it is 'Red'. The multiple layers of Air in the Atmosphere scatters. And the scattering may make it appear as coloured differently in diffrent conditions. You cant say it is 'Red" or 'Blue" since it does not have an interinsic property absorb neither Red nor Blue. Hence we say it is trasperant since it lets light through. And u have to realize that it needs to be trasparent in order to scatter ! U cant expect a coloured object to scatter light ! They merely reflect a particular frequency corresponding to a particular colour and we assign that colour to them.
So u cant say Air is trasparent. You can only say day time sky 'appears' Blue most of the time.
2006-08-20 11:45:32 · answer #2 · answered by Maverick 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's actually a null question because colour is perceived by our brain from the information received from our eyes.
It depends how far back down the process you go.
Our perception is colour but the reality is all down to the wave length of the photons and how they react to molecules.
2006-08-20 11:21:24 · answer #3 · answered by David T 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The air at high altitude is not blue.The sky contain air which is called atmosphere. The sky appears blue because it fluoresces.
2006-08-20 11:55:31 · answer #4 · answered by goring 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think so. I believe an object's colour only considers the absorption spectrum of that object.
An interesting question I look forward to hearing more answers.
2006-08-20 11:16:13 · answer #5 · answered by MasterAir 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would think that the moisture in the air is what appears blue in sunlight.
Bearing in mind, i decided to not take my exams as i didn't want to be rated as a person. It seemed medieval to me. I know what i know and i know what i want to ask.
2006-08-24 06:31:28 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is correct to say the color is truly white. Remember the prizm. what is the color of a prizm before it is reflected to light?
2006-08-20 11:17:51 · answer #7 · answered by poet_by_nature 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Or could it be bronze as in acient times they din't have a word for blue!
2006-08-20 11:22:41 · answer #8 · answered by barmyowlscoo 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
im looking all around me now and the air doesnt look very blue to me.
2006-08-20 11:18:04 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No.
Air is made up of molecules.
Light is energy.
2006-08-20 11:18:34 · answer #10 · answered by JeffE 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋