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Questions and Answers
What is the primary reason why light waves deviate from their straight paths in a medium?
What is the primary reason why light waves deviate from their straight paths in a medium?
- Due to the reflection of light by particles in the medium
- Due to the refraction of light by particles in the medium
- Due to the absorption and re-emission of light by particles in the medium (correct)
- Due to the change in the wavelength of light after interaction with particles
What is an example of a phenomenon that is a result of the scattering of sunlight in the atmosphere?
What is an example of a phenomenon that is a result of the scattering of sunlight in the atmosphere?
- The formation of fog
- The blue color of the sky (correct)
- The creation of clouds
- The formation of rainbows
What type of scattering is characterized by a change in the inner energy of the molecules?
What type of scattering is characterized by a change in the inner energy of the molecules?
- Inelastic scattering (correct)
- Diffusion of light
- Tyndall effect
- Elastic scattering
What is the Tyndall effect used to determine?
What is the Tyndall effect used to determine?
What happens to the energy of the particles or 'scatterers' in elastic scattering?
What happens to the energy of the particles or 'scatterers' in elastic scattering?
What is the primary reason why the energy of the photons after re-emission decreases in the scattering process?
What is the primary reason why the energy of the photons after re-emission decreases in the scattering process?
What is the type of scattering that occurs when the interaction between incident light results in a loss or gain of energy?
What is the type of scattering that occurs when the interaction between incident light results in a loss or gain of energy?
What is the term used to describe the scattering of light when it encounters water droplets present in clouds?
What is the term used to describe the scattering of light when it encounters water droplets present in clouds?
Why does the base of a thick cloud appear gray and dark?
Why does the base of a thick cloud appear gray and dark?
What is the factor that affects the scattering of light, resulting in blue and violet being more scattered than red and orange?
What is the factor that affects the scattering of light, resulting in blue and violet being more scattered than red and orange?
Why does the sky appear reddish and orange during sunset?
Why does the sky appear reddish and orange during sunset?
What is the main reason behind the scattering of radiation in X-ray imaging?
What is the main reason behind the scattering of radiation in X-ray imaging?
What is the process responsible for the separation of white light into its components in a rainbow?
What is the process responsible for the separation of white light into its components in a rainbow?
Why does violet appear on the inner side of a rainbow?
Why does violet appear on the inner side of a rainbow?
What is the purpose of using anti-scatter grids or large air gaps in X-ray imaging?
What is the purpose of using anti-scatter grids or large air gaps in X-ray imaging?
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Study Notes
Scattering of Light
- Scattering of light refers to the diffusive effect of particles that causes light waves to deviate from their straight paths.
- Particles present in the medium allow light to be absorbed and re-emitted, spreading out all the light waves in different directions instead of a single straight path.
Tyndall Effect
- The Tyndall effect is the scattering of light as it passes through a medium composed of small particles.
- It was first described by physicist John Tyndall in the 19th century.
- The effect is used to determine whether a medium is a solution or a colloid.
Types of Wave Scattering
- There are two main types of scattering of light: elastic and inelastic scattering.
- Elastic scattering refers to the scattering of light when there is no change in its wavelength after being re-emitted.
- Inelastic scattering is characterized by a change in the inner energy of the molecules.
Elastic Scattering
- Rayleigh scattering is an example of elastic scattering.
- It occurs in the atmosphere due to particles and molecules much smaller than the wavelength of light.
- The relationship between scattering and the wavelength of light shows that shorter wavelengths are scattered more than longer wavelengths.
Inelastic Scattering
- Raman scattering is an example of inelastic scattering.
- It involves a change in the energy of the photons, resulting in a shift in their frequencies.
Scattering Examples
- White clouds occur due to the equal scattering of sunlight by water droplets present in clouds.
- Blue sky and reddish sunset are explained by Rayleigh scattering.
- X-ray scattering occurs in medical imaging, affecting the quality of images produced.
- Rainbows are formed due to the scattering of white light into its components.
Scattering in Atmosphere
- Scattering of light in the atmosphere results in several phenomena, including blue skies, white clouds, and reddish sunsets.
- Rayleigh scattering explains why the sky is blue, as shorter wavelengths of light are scattered more than longer wavelengths.
- Mie scattering is an example of elastic scattering, where water droplets or crystals scatter sunlight uniformly in all directions.
Applications of Scattering
- Scattering of light is essential in medical diagnosis and in monitoring the structures of pollutants.
- Scattering of radiation is used in medical imaging, such as in X-rays.
- Scattering of light is used to determine the molecular structure of a sample.
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