Very small particles scatter light in proportion to 1/λ⁴.
Contributed by StemPy LabTry it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
Very small particles scatter light in proportion to . How many times more is blue light of scattered than red light of ?
Need a reminder? The key ideaShow
Very small particles, such as air molecules, scatter light in proportion to : blue far more than red. Large particles, such as cloud drops, scatter all colours about equally, which looks white. The Tyndall effect is the path of a beam made visible by scattering.
The worked solution
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. The ratio of wavelengths. .
Step 2. The fourth power. .
Answer: about times as much.
Check. A small change in wavelength gives a big change in scattering, because of the fourth power.
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