Rayleigh scattering

Rayleigh scattering is the way that light scatters when it hits a very small object. This theory is valid if the wavelength of the light is much bigger than the object. It is named after Lord Rayleigh but was also the work of Raman and Krishnan as it is part of the Raman scattering theory.

This is also why the sky looks blue when it is daytime. Rayleigh Scattering means that light of shorter wavelength, blue light, will come into the air and bounce around in the air before going towards the ground, making the sky look blue.

Rayleigh Scattering Media

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  Rayleigh scattering causes the blue color of the daytime sky and the reddening of the Sun at sunset.

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  Due to Rayleigh scattering, red and orange colors are more visible during sunset because the blue and violet light has been scattered out of the direct path. Due to removal of such colors, these colors are scattered by dramatically colored skies and monochromatic rainbows.

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  Figure showing the greater proportion of blue light scattered by the atmosphere relative to red light

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  Scattered blue light is polarized. The picture on the right is shot through a polarizing filter: the polarizer transmits light that is linearly polarized in a specific direction.

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  Rayleigh scattering in opalescent glass: it appears blue from the side, but orange light shines through.