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Why is the sky blue very short answer?
The Sun gives out or emits all the colours of visible light which we see as being approximately white. As demonstrated by Sir Isaac Newton with a triangular prism, when white light passes through the prism it separates out into the colours of the rainbow.
This experiment demonstrates that white light is composed of all the colours of visible light in roughly the same amounts. These different colours have different wavelengths, and this affects how they interact with different substances. Violet and blue light have the shortest wavelengths and red light has the longest.
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Why is ocean and sky blue for kids?
What colour is a glass of water? – Now that we know a bit more about light, we can begin to answer your question. Experiments have shown that pure water (water with nothing else dissolved in it) absorbs more of the red light than the blue light. But how much of the red light will get absorbed? Well, that depends on how much water the light has to pass through. A small bottle or glass of pure water is clear, because it can only absorb a little bit of red light. from www.shutterstock.com You might be wondering why the water in a glass looks clear. It is because the glass of water is too small to absorb more red light waves.
To see the effect with your eye, you would have to look through a glass of water as big as a swimming pool. That amount of water could absorb quite a lot of red light, so the water would look quite blue. Now imagine a glass that held an entire ocean’s worth of water. It would be enormous! With that much water, you could absorb a LOT of red light.
So it would look very blue. But when it comes to how light interacts with the ocean, there’s more to the story. Read more: Curious Kids: how is water made? For starters, sea water is not pure. Sea water has lots of things dissolved in it, like salt and small pieces of dead sea creatures. It’s true the sky does play a role in how our eyes perceive the colour of the sea. But it’s not the only factor. renê ardanuy on/off/flickr, CC BY To sum it all up: the sea is blue because of the way water absorbs light, the way particles in the water scatter light, and also because some of the blue light from the sky is reflected.
Finally, we need to think about the time of day and the position of the Sun in the sky. When the Sun is shining bright, the sea appears bluer than it does late at night, when the sea looks very dark and almost black. Like many questions in science, the answer is not as easy as a simple yes or no. There are often lots of correct, but incomplete, answers to many questions.
To me, that’s what makes science so interesting. Hello, curious kids! Have you got a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to [email protected]
Why is the sky blue 5 year old?
Sky appears blue because sunlight is scattered in the earth’s atmosphere and out of all wavelenghts, blue one is scattered the most. During sunset and sunrise, the angle of incidence of sunlight changes to almost 0 or pi, due to which the amount of scattering faced by sunlight increases.
What is the real color of the sky?
Where sunlight and Earth’s atmosphere fit in –
- When sunlight reaches Earth’s atmosphere, it contains virtually every wavelength on the,
- This includes all the colours of visible light, from the shorter waves of violet and blue, to the longer wavelengths of orange and red.
- When our eyes see all these wavelengths together, they look like pure white.
- As well as the sunlight, Earth’s atmosphere contains molecules like nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide, as well as particles of dust, water vapour and pollutants.
Rayleigh scattering. Nitrogen and oxygen molecules scatter light in short wavelengths towards the blue end of the spectrum. Credit: Dorling Kindersley: Mohd Zishan / Dorling Kindersley
- Where the sunlight first reaches us, the upper atmosphere, it will meet and interact with the most abundant molecules in our air: nitrogen and oxygen.
- These molecules are small, and light at longer wavelengths manages to pass by nitrogen and oxygen without too much interference.
- However, the shorter wavelengths of light are scattered by the molecules, sending out blue and violet light in all different directions.
- This is called, named after the physicist who discovered it.
- So, the sky appears blue because the molecules of nitrogen and oxygen in the atmosphere scatter light in short wavelengths towards the blue end of the visible spectrum.
- The other colours pass through the Earth’s atmosphere to reach us, but because of the great abundance of blue light wavelengths, our eyes see the sky as blue.
- Technically, the short wavelengths that scatter across the sky correspond to the colours blue and violet, making the real colour of the sky a bluish purple.
- However, the cone cells in our eyes that detect colour aren’t very sensitive to violet, so we see the sky as blue.
: Why is the sky blue?
What makes blue?
What Two Colors Make Blue? – According to the basic color theory, blue is a primary color and therefore cannot be made by mixing any other colors together. However, using the cyan model, it is possible to make blue by mixing cyan and magenta.
Why is the sky blue but space is black?
To an astronaut, the sky looks dark and black instead of blue because there is no atmosphere containing air in the outer space to scatter sunlight. So, there is no scattered light to reach our eyes in outer space, therefore the sky looks dark and black there.
What is a fun fact about the blue sky?
Blue sky – But then there is a blue sky – a universal connection of colour between all people on this planet. The sky is not really blue, rather it is made from blue light simply bouncing off dust and water particles in the air. As the light is scattered in all directions we appear to see blue sky.
Is the sky always blue?
- References
- Science & Astronomy
Ancient philosophers puzzled over the question, “Why is the sky blue?” Now we know it’s all down to Rayleigh scattering (Image credit: Getty Images) Everyone loves a clear sunny day, but have you ever looked up and wondered exactly why is the sky blue? The answer lies in the physics of when sunlight passes through the atmosphere. Andrew May holds a Ph.D. in astrophysics from Manchester University, U.K. For 30 years, he worked in the academic, government and private sectors, before becoming a science writer. In outer space, above the Earth’s atmosphere, the sky looks black even in sunlight.
That’s one of the most striking phenomena experienced by travelers on Blue Origin’s suborbital flights. “To see the blue color go right by you and now you’re staring into blackness, that’s the thing,” as William Shatner put it after his flight, trying to convey the experience he just went through. “The coloring of blue,” he added.
This blackness is easy enough to understand. Unless you’re looking directly at the sun, there’s no reason for the sky to be illuminated at all. The real puzzle is why it’s illuminated down here on the surface of the planet — a longstanding mystery that wasn’t fully explained until the end of the 19th century.
- The key lies in an effect known as Rayleigh scattering, after its discoverer Lord Rayleigh.
- This refers to the way light bounces off small particles, up to about a tenth the wavelength of the light itself — which includes the molecules making up the Earth ‘s atmosphere.
- Rayleigh showed that longer wavelengths, corresponding to the red end of the spectrum, aren’t scattered as strongly as short wavelengths like blue and violet.
Of those two colors, it’s the blue that dominates, partly because our eyes are more sensitive to it, and also because the sun emits less violet light to start with. The sky isn’t always blue. When the sun is low in the sky, at sunrise or sunset, it can take on a red hue. Sunsets like this one appear red because the light from the sun has traveled further through the atmosphere and most of the shorter wavelengths (blues and violets) have been scattered away. (Image credit: Martin Harvey via Getty Images)
Why is the sky pink for kids?
These sunset pictures look pretty awesome. So, why does the sky look a pinky purple colour? Well when the sun sets, it is lower down and the light has further to travel. Light is made up of all different colours – that’s why we get rainbows. Blue light can’t travel very far so much of it ‘scatters’ out before it reaches us.
Why is the sky a funny colour?
Why Does the Sky Turn Yellow Before a Storm? – Photo by Wonderlane on Unsplash The sky may turn yellow at sunset due to a high presence of dust in the environment or because of a brewing storm. A coming storm is one of the most common causes of a yellow sky, and a yellow-ish, orange hue might indicate a winter storm brewing on a relatively warm day.
- When you first notice a yellow-orange tone in the sky, it can create an eerie atmosphere or simply be a cause for fascination.
- Regardless, this yellow-orange look differs from the blue light we’re used to.
- According to the National Severe Storms Laboratory, most thunderstorms take place during the late afternoon period.
They can also form during the early evening as the storm requires heat from the day to form. Notably, many of them spring up during the summer and spring months. Although you may notice that particular clouds block the sunlight during this period, sunsets still emit colors as the light filters through.
On warm days, shorter wavelengths of blue light are scattered quickly, leaving the sky with vivid colors on the yellow-orange-red end of the spectrum. As a result, the same process that initiates brilliant colors at sunset makes the sky turn orange or yellow when a storm is brewing. In some cases, a storm brewing can turn the sky green.
Depending on the area, the yellow might serve as a sign of a tornado or hurricane. Since thunderstorms usually occur during warmer periods like the late afternoon, the hue can indicate you to prepare for the storm ahead. The visible glowy atmospheric effect presents an eerie-looking yet stunning background.
Who discovered why the sky is blue?
– was a keen mountaineer and spent quite a lot of time in the Alps, both climbing and investigating phenomena such as glaciers. This interest in nature can also be seen in many of his other diverse discoveries, including his discovery in the 1860s of why the sky is blue in the day but red at sunset.
Tyndall began to experiment with light, shining beams through various gases and liquids and recording the results. He used this simple glass tube to simulate the sky, with a white light at one end to represent the sun. He discovered that when he gradually filled the tube with smoke the beam of light appeared to be blue from the side but red from the far end.
Why Is The Sky Blue? | COLOSSAL QUESTIONS
Tyndall realised that the colour of the sky is a result of light from the sun scattering around particles in the upper atmosphere, in what is now known as the ‘Tyndall effect’. He thought that the light scattered off particles of dust or water vapour in the atmosphere, like the smoke particles in the tube, but it’s now known that the light scatters off the molecules of the air itself.
- Tyndall knew that white light was made up of a whole rainbow of coloured light and thought that the blue light appeared because it was more likely to scatter off the particles.
- We now know that this is because it has a much shorter wavelength than red light and is much more easily scattered, so to our eyes the sky looks blue.
This experiment also explains why the sky often appears to be red in colour as the sun sets. As the sun gets lower in the sky the angle means that the light we see passes through more atmosphere. By the time it reaches us the blue light has already scattered off, leaving the longer wavelength red light to be seen.
Why is space black?
Once the light hits and bounces off of an object, it is the atmosphere that allows the ‘scattering’ and the ability to see colors in the spectrum that our eyes see. The surrounded ‘space’ appears black because there isn’t a strong enough atmosphere to cause the ‘scattering’.
Why isn’t the sky purple?
School Winner: Why is the sky not violet? As a child I asked an infinite number of questions: Why is it always raining? Why can’t I eat chocolate for breakfast? Why is the sky blue? Yet all these questions were answered with ‘‘it just is”. However, through studying physics and other sciences I learnt that nothing ‘‘just is”.
- So. Why is the sky blue? Firstly, the sun emits energy as beams of light which are electromagnetic waves.
- When the beam of light approaches the earth the most harmful components of the beam, which have the shortest wavelengths and highest frequency (gamma, x-ray and ultraviolet waves), are prevented from passing through the stratosphere by the ozone layer.
The ozone layer still allows radio and visible light waves, which have a larger wavelength, to pass through. The visible light that passes through the atmosphere is made up of all the colours of the rainbow. So why doesn’t the sky appear multicoloured? This is due to the scattering of the visible light waves as they collide with nitrogen and oxygen molecules in our atmosphere.
The degree to which the visible light wave is scattered is dependent on the wavelength of its component parts. Similar to the waves you see on the beach some are larger while some are smaller. The colours red, orange, yellow and green have larger wavelengths while blue and violet have a smaller wavelength and a higher frequency.
The smaller the wavelength of the light the more the light is scattered by the particles in the atmosphere. Thus, the light with the higher wavelengths pass through the atmosphere with little or no scattering, while blue and violet waves are more scattered.
Finally, the blue and violet light waves which are scattered across the sky enter our eyes making the sky appear blue. However, this begs the question if violet light has a shorter wavelength and is scattered more, then why does the sky not appear violet? This is because the sun emits a higher concentration of blue light waves in comparison violet.
Furthermore, as our eyes are more sensitive to blue rather than violet this means to us the sky appears blue. Science is a subject that is constantly evolving and nothing appears just as it seems and this is why it interests me, for example in class I have just learnt light is not just a wave it is also a particle which intrigues, perplexes and pushes me to keep asking questions.
- Darcey Smyth Victoria College Hi, my name is Darcey and I’m currently in year 13 and studying Physics, Biology, Chemistry and Maths in Victoria College Belfast in Northern Ireland.
- In two years’ time I hope to be studying Medicine or a career path related to Science at university.
- Also I believe that it is paramount for young women to study science as women are just taking a place in this vast, relatively male dominated field.
Finally, I find studying science intriguing as every lesson you begin to understand a bit more about the world around us yet there are always more questions to be asked. In the words of Michelle Obama, ‘‘Focus more on learning than on succeeding. Instead of pretending that you understand when you don’t, just raise your hand and ask a question.” : School Winner: Why is the sky not violet?
Is Desert Sky blue or black?
This is an article from Curious Kids, a series for children. The Conversation is asking kids to send in questions they’d like an expert to answer. All questions are welcome – serious, weird or wacky! Why is the sky blue and where does it start? – Oliver Scott, age 7, Wombarra.
- This is something that parents get asked every day.
- And it’s a great question, Oliver! Some people think the sky is blue because of sunlight reflected off the ocean and back into the sky.
- But the sky is blue even in the middle of the countryside, nowhere near the sea! Others think it’s because of the water in our atmosphere.
But the sky is blue in places that are extremely dry, like the desert. A blue sky over the Sahara desert in Libya. Wikipedia So what’s the real reason? The sky is blue because of the way sunlight interacts with our atmosphere. If you’ve ever played with a prism or seen a rainbow, then you know light is made up of different colours. The name “ROY G. BIV” helps us remember these colours: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. A rainbow over my house in suburban Melbourne, 2017. Duane Hamacher These colours make up just a tiny portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, which includes ultraviolet waves, microwaves, and radio waves. This means the invisible waves that cause sunburns, allow us to heat-up our leftovers, and let us listen to the radio are all forms of light. The spectrum of light, showing the wavelength with objects of comparable size. NASA Light moves as waves of different lengths: some are short, making bluer light, and some are long, making redder light. As sunlight reaches our atmosphere, molecules in the air scatter the bluer light but let the red light pass through. Scientists call this Rayleigh scattering, The spectrum of light we can see. Each colour from red to blue looks has a shorter distance between the waves. NASA When the Sun is high in the sky, it appears its true colour : white. At sunrise and sunset, we see a much redder sun. This is because the sunlight is passing through a thicker layer of our atmosphere. Red sunlight illuminating the clouds at sunset outside Melbourne during the 2017 winter solstice. Duane Hamacher Rayleigh scattering can affect how we see the Moon. When the Moon passes through the shadow of the Earth during a total lunar eclipse, blue and green light is scattered in the Earth’s atmosphere, letting red light pass through. The dark red colour of the Moon during a total lunar eclipse on 15 May 2003. Frank Schulenburg/Flickr, CC BY-SA Rayleigh scattering works on other planets, too. Did you know that the sky on Mars is also blue? (When there are no big storms kicking red dust into the air, that is!) A photo of the Martian sky from the Viking spacecraft on August 29, 1976. NASA/JPL. And finally, where does the sky start? This is a tricky question. A bird flying 50 meters above us looks like it’s in the sky. But so do aeroplanes, and they fly more than 10,000 metres overhead.
The sky” is just our atmosphere as we see it from underneath. A majority of our atmosphere extends about 16 km upward, and this is where most of the Rayleigh scattering happens. If you’ve ever seen video of a rocket going into space, you can see the blue sky fade away to a black background as it climbs above the atmosphere.
Watch a space shuttle launch. You can see the skies turn from blue to black as the shuttle moves above the Earth’s atmosphere. Hello, curious kids! Have you got a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to us. You can: * Email your question to [email protected] * Tell us on Twitter by tagging @ConversationEDU with the hashtag #curiouskids, or * Tell us on Facebook CC BY-ND Please tell us your name, age and which city you live in. You can send an audio recording of your question too, if you want. Send as many questions as you like! We won’t be able to answer every question but we will do our best.
Is sky kid friendly?
This game is child friendly, the community it wholesome. If you’re worried about your child friending strangers, you should educate them on the dangers of an online game. I’ve met children and adults alike on this game and never met someone who might try to cross a boundary, that being said it is still a risk.
Why is sky called sky?
Etymology – The word sky comes from the Old Norse sky, meaning ‘cloud, abode of God ‘. The Norse term is also the source of the Old English scēo, which shares the same Indo-European base as the classical Latin obscūrus, meaning ‘obscure’. In Old English, the term heaven was used to describe the observable expanse above the earth.
How do you teach kids about the sky?
Observe and describe what the sky looks like at different times of the day. Identify objects in the sky and recognize how the sky changes over time. After the Explore activity, children share their drawings of the objects in the sky and any observations they made in their Science Journal.
How would you describe the color sky blue?
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sky blue | |
---|---|
Common connotations | |
boys, daylight, water, air, paleness | |
Colour coordinates | |
Hex triplet | #87CEEB |
sRGB B ( r, g, b ) | (135, 206, 235) |
HSV ( h, s, v ) | (197°, 43%, 92%) |
CIELCh uv ( L, C, h ) | (79, 46, 223°) |
Source | X11 color names |
ISCC–NBS descriptor | Very light greenish blue |
B : Normalized to (byte) |
Sky blue is a shade of light blue comparable to that of a clear daytime sky. The term (as “sky blew”) is attested from 1681. A 1585 translation of Nicolas de Nicolay ‘s 1576 Les navigations, peregrinations et voyages faicts en la Turquie includes “the tulbant of the merchant must be skie coloured “. Bright blue sky with clouds Displayed at right is the web colour sky blue,
How would you describe the blue of the sky?
synonyms for sky-blue –
cerulean azureous bluish sky-colored
On this page you’ll find 5 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to sky-blue, such as: cerulean, azureous, bluish, and sky-colored.
What sky blue means?
About the color – People associate this color with the shade of a clear sky. It also represents the healing nature of water and a tender breeze. Sky blue is usually associated with romance, dreams, and hope. Sometimes, the symbolism behind sky blue is linked to divinity and accessibility due to the color’s cool tones.
- That’s why different shades of sky blue are often used in religion.
- Besides, sky blue evokes feelings of loyalty, trust, and confidence.
- For this reason, many famous brands use it in their branding and logo designs.
- Therefore, blue shades are always a winning decision for visuals that promote your business.
The hex code for sky blue is #87CEEB.
Type | Value |
---|---|
HEX | #87CEEB |
RGB | 135, 206, 235 |
CMYK | 0.43, 0.12, 0, 0.08 |
What is meant by the term blue sky?
Definition: Blue-sky refers to the approval of the sale of securities in accordance with laws that protect investors from fraud.