2018 · Q34
When the Sun is near the horizon during the morning or evening, it appears reddish. The phenomenon that is responsible for this observation is:
General KnowledgePhysics
- Areflection of light
- Brefraction of light
- Cdispersion of light
- Dscattering of light
Explanation
Near the horizon, sunlight traverses a much longer path through the atmosphere. Air molecules scatter the shorter blue wavelengths away (Rayleigh scattering), while the longer red wavelengths pass through to the observer. This scattering is what makes the Sun appear reddish in the morning and evening.