Rayleigh's scattering law

{
  "id": "MLC-T-MET-008428",
  "term": "Rayleigh's scattering law",
  "field": "Meteorology and atmospheric science",
  "definition": "A physical principle stating that the intensity of light scattered by particles is inversely related to the fourth power of its wavelength, applicable when the particles are much smaller than the light's wavelength. This strong wavelength dependence causes shorter (blue) wavelengths to scatter much more effectively than longer (red) wavelengths. The law explains why the daytime sky appears blue, as nitrogen and oxygen molecules in the air scatter sunlight according to this principle.",
  "synonyms": [
    "Rayleigh scattering"
  ],
  "see_also": [
    "Mie theory"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/meteorology/rayleigh-s-scattering-law/"
}