What causes the red colour in the sky at the time of sunrise and sunset?
The red color in the sky at sunrise and sunset is caused by scattering. As the sun is low on the horizon, sunlight passes through more of the Earth’s atmosphere. Shorter wavelengths (blue and violet) scatter out, leaving the longer wavelengths (red and orange) to dominate the sky’s color.
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The red color in the sky at sunrise and sunset is caused by scattering (C). When the sun is near the horizon, its light has to pass through a thicker layer of the Earth’s atmosphere. This increased distance causes more scattering of shorter wavelengths (blue and violet) by air molecules and particles. As a result, the shorter wavelengths are scattered out of the direct line of sight, and the longer wavelengths (red and orange) become more prominent. This effect, known as Rayleigh scattering, is responsible for the reddish hues observed during these times of the day. The phenomenon is more pronounced when there are particles like dust or pollution in the atmosphere, enhancing the scattering and intensifying the red and orange colors.