What effect do clouds have on the color of the sky?(1 point)
Responses
a) They reflect light waves.
They reflect light waves.
b) They transmit light waves.
They transmit light waves.
c) They scatter light waves.
They scatter light waves.
d) They absorb light waves.
c) They scatter light waves. Clouds contain water droplets and ice crystals that scatter light in all directions, which reduces the intensity of direct sunlight and make the sky appear bluer. Under certain conditions, clouds can also scatter certain wavelengths of light, creating colorful sunsets and sunrises.
c) They scatter light waves.
The correct answer is option c) They scatter light waves.
Clouds scatter the light from the sun in all directions, which is known as scattering. When sunlight passes through the atmosphere, it encounters gas molecules and particles. The light waves interact with these particles and get scattered in various directions. This scattering occurs in all parts of the sky, but it is more prominent when there are clouds present.
To understand why clouds scatter light waves, we need to consider the size of the cloud droplets or ice crystals. These particles in the cloud are larger than the wavelengths of visible light. When light encounters these particles, it gets scattered in different directions. This scattering is known as Rayleigh scattering, which is responsible for the blue color of the sky.
Clouds do not absorb or transmit light waves as stated in options a) and b). Absorption refers to the process in which light is absorbed by an object or substance, leading to its disappearance. Transmission refers to the process in which light passes through an object without any significant interaction or scattering.
To summarize, clouds scatter light waves, which is why they have an effect on the color of the sky.