Why is the Sky Blue?

Worksheet Description

This worksheet delves into the science of why the sky appears blue to the human eye. It explains that sunlight is made up of different colors, which scatter in various ways when they pass through the Earth’s atmosphere due to the process called Rayleigh scattering. The text points out that blue light waves are shorter and scatter more than other colors, which is why we see a blue sky most of the time. It also notes that at sunrise and sunset, the sky can display a range of colors due to the angle of the sun and the path light must travel through more of the Earth’s atmosphere.

The worksheet’s educational objective is to teach students about atmospheric optics, particularly the scattering of light. It aims to provide an understanding of how light behaves as it passes through different mediums, like the gases and particles in the Earth’s atmosphere, and how this affects our perception of color. The resource also explains why the sky can change color at different times of the day, such as during sunrise and sunset. Through this, students are encouraged to appreciate the complex interactions between light and the natural world, fostering a deeper interest in physical sciences and natural phenomena.