Chapter 4: Problem 3

Define refraction. How is it related to daylength? To a rainbow? To the beautiful colors of a sunset?

Short Answer

Expert verified

Refraction is a concept in physics that describes how light alters path when moving through different media. This leads to a longer perceived daylength, causes the formation of rainbows in water droplets due to light splitting into different colors, and results in the colors at sunset due to light scattering in the atmosphere.

Step by step solution

Defining Refraction

Refraction is a concept in physics that describes how the path of light alters when it passes from one transparent medium to another. This happens because light travels at varying speeds in different media, causing it to bend.

Refraction and Daylength

Light from the Sun gets refracted or 'bends' when it hits the Earth's atmosphere. The sunlight path is consequently longer, letting us see light even before the sun crosses the horizon at sunrise, and after it has set. This phenomenon effectively increases the length of the day.

Refraction and Rainbows

A rainbow is formed when light is refracted, or bent, in droplets of water. This occurs when sunlight encounters rain droplets in the atmosphere. The light is bent and reflected inside the droplets and then it's bent again when exiting them, dispersing the white sunlight into an array of colors - a rainbow.

Refraction and Sunsets

Sunsets are colorful because of the scattering of sunlight by the atmosphere. The blue colored light is scattered in all directions while the red light is refracted less and therefore we see it directly when the sun is near the horizon.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

Full Textbook Solutions
Get detailed explanations and key concepts
Unlimited Al creation
Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...
Ads-free access
To over 500 millions flashcards
Money-back guarantee
We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

Recommended explanations on Geography Textbooks

View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Define refraction. How is it related to daylength? To a rainbow? To the beautiful colors of a sunset?

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Defining Refraction

Refraction and Daylength

Refraction and Rainbows

Refraction and Sunsets

One App. One Place for Learning.

Most popular questions from this chapter

Recommended explanations on Geography Textbooks

Glaciated Landscapes

Living World

Globalisation

River Landscapes

Superpowers of the World

Dynamic Landscapes

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.