Scattering of light
The phenomenon where light changes direction when it
encounters particles
or irregularities in its path, causing it tospread out in different
directions.
Scattering depends on two main factors
The wavelength of the light
And
Size of the scattering particle
Shorter wavelength undergoes more scattering than longer wavelength
Very fine particles - scatter shorter wavelength light
Larger particles - Scatter longer wavelength light
" Tyndall effect- the phenomenon where light is scattered by particles in a
colloid or fine suspension. This scattering makes the path ofa light beam
visible.
Earth's atmosphere includes smoke, tiny water droplets, suspended
particles of dust and molecules of air. When a beam of light strikes such
fine particles the path of beam becomes visible.
Why the colour of sky is blue?
The molecules of air and other fine particles in the atmosphere have
size smaller than the wave length of visible light. These are more
effective in scattering light of shorter wavelength at the blue end than
light of longer wave lengths at the red end. The red light has a
wavelength about 1.8 times greater than blue light. Thus when sunlight
passes through the atmosphere, the fine particles in air scatter the blue
colour having shorter wavelength more strongly than red. The scattered
blue light enters our eyes.
Whytheclouds appear white?
VWhen sunlight enters a cloud, it interactswith the water droplets and ice
(rystals, which are much larger than the wavelengths of visible light. These
Irper particles scatter allcolors of light in all directions, and when these
Scattered colorscombine, they appear white toour eyes.
Why the sky does appear dark instead of blue to an astronaut?
The sky appears dark to astronauts because outer space lacks an
atmosphere,which is necessary for light scattering to occur. In the
absence of an atmosphere, like in space, sunlight passes straight through
without scattering, and therefore the sky appears dark.
Exercise
1. The humaneye can focus objects at different distances by adjusting
the focal length of the eye lens. This is due to
(a) presbyopia
(b) accommodation
(lnear - sightedness
(d) far - sightedness
Answer: (b) Accommodation
2. The human eye forms the image of an object at its
(al cornea
(b) iris
(c) pupil
(d) retina
Answer: (d) Retina
3. The least distance of distinct vision for a young adult with
normal
vision is about
(a) 25 m
(b) 2.5 cm
(o 25 Cm
(a) 2.5 m
answer: (c) 25 cm
4 The change in focal length of an eye lens is
caused by the action of the
pupil
(bretina
( ciliary muscles
(d) iris
Answer: (c) Ciliary muscles
5. Aperson needs a lens of power -5.5
dioptres for correcting his distant vision.
For correcting his near vision he needs a
the focal length of the lens required for lens of power +1.5 dioptre. What is
near vision?
correcting (i) distant vision, and (ii)
()* Power of distant viewing part of the lens, Pi=-5.5D
·. Focal length of this part, fË = 1/p1 = 1/-5.5 m =-0.182 m
(i) For near vision,
power f; =1/ p2 = 1/1.5 =0.66 m
6. The [Link] pointof a myopic person is 80 cm in front of the eye. What is the
naturend power of the lens required to correct the problem?
The reedial lens should make the objects at infinityappear at the far point.
Therefoie, for object at infinity, u = oo
Far point distance of the defected eye, v =- 80 cm
1
By ler inmula. -0 = ’ f= - 80cm
f -80 80 80
100 100
Nowp . P =-1.25 D
f (in cm) -80
Negatiesign shows that the remedial lens is aconcave lens.
7. Make adiagram to show how hypermetropia is corrected. The near point of
a hypermetropiceye is 1 m. What is the power of the lens required to correct
the defect? Assume that the near point of the normal eye is 25
cm.
The obiect placed at 25 cm from the correcting lens must produce a
virtual
image 1m or 100 cm.
TherefCre, u =- 25 cm, V= -100 cm
By le:ula
1 1 1 1 1 I 1 3
u -100 -25 100 25 100
100 1
cm t m
+3 3
3
Pvor, P = =+ = +3D
8. Wh normal eye not able to see clearly the objects
cm ? placed closer than 25
At distance less than 25 cm, the
ciliary
more, the object cannot be focused on muscles cannot bulge the eye lens any
the retina and it appears blurred to
eye the