Why is sky blue?
Why is the Sky Blue? A Matter of Light and Air! Ever looked up on a sunny day and wondered why the sky is that beautiful shade of blue? It's not a reflection of the ocean (though that's a common guess!), but a fascinating example of how light interacts with the matter that makes up our atmosphere. Get ready for a little journey into the science of light and tiny air particles! Sunlight: More Than Just White! The light from the sun looks white to our eyes, but it's actually a mix of all the colors of the rainbow – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Each of these colors travels in waves, and just like ocean waves, they have different sizes, or wavelengths. Think of it this way: violet and blue light have short, choppy wavelengths, while red light has long, smooth wavelengths. Our Busy Atmosphere: The air around us isn't empty space! It's filled with tiny particles, mostly nitrogen and oxygen molecules. These molecules are incredibly small – much sma...