Question

Draw a labelled diagram to show (i) reddish appearance of the sun at the sunrise or the sunset and (ii) while appearance of the sun at noon when it is overhead. 

Answer 1

(i) 

• During sunrise and sunset, the rays have to travel a larger part of the atmosphere because they are very close to the horizon. Therefore, light other than red is mostly scattered away.
• Most of the red light, which is the least scattered, enters our eyes. Hence, the sun and the sky appear red.

(ii) 

• At noon, the sun is overhead in the sky and the light coming from the sun travels a relatively shorter distance through the atmosphere to reach the earth. 
• As the light coming from the overhead sun contains almost all its component colours in the right proportion, the sun appears white to us at noon.