Rayleigh scattering is what causes the sky to have a blue color. Sun light contains every color, each with its own wavelength. Blue light is at the short wavelength end of the visible color spectrum, so it is scattered more through the atmosphere and our eye sees the color blue when looking at the sky. Air molecules interacts more with shorter wavelength colors and cause it to scatter in the atmosphere.
Project Ideas:
- Explain wave lengths and the effects sunlight has on them.
- What is Rayleigh scattering?
- What is mie scattering? How does it compare to Rayleigh scattering?
- What are the practical applications of Rayleigh scattering?
Link Resources to Complete the Science Fair Project
- Why is the sky blue, and sunsets golden?
- Blue Sky at Science Made Simple
Related Science Fair Project Resources
Part of our Science Project Ideas Index
