Rayleigh scattering
Rayleigh Scattering
Rayleigh scattering (pronounced: /ˈreɪliː/), named after the British physicist Lord Rayleigh, is a process in which light or other electromagnetic radiation is scattered by particles much smaller than the wavelength of the radiation.
Etymology
The term "Rayleigh scattering" is derived from the name of Lord Rayleigh, who first studied the scattering in a detailed manner in the 19th century.
Definition
Rayleigh scattering is a type of scattering that occurs when light or other electromagnetic radiation interacts with particles that are smaller than the wavelength of the light. The scattering is inversely proportional to the fourth power of the wavelength, which explains why blue light is scattered more than red light.
Related Terms
- Scattering: A general physical process where some forms of radiation, such as light, sound, or moving particles, are forced to deviate from a straight trajectory by one or more paths due to localized non-uniformities in the medium through which they pass.
- Mie Scattering: A type of scattering that occurs when the particles are larger than the wavelength of light. It is responsible for the white color of clouds.
- Tyndall Effect: The scattering of light as a light beam passes through a colloid, named after the 19th-century physicist John Tyndall.
- Electromagnetic Radiation: A type of energy that is propagated through free space or through a material medium in the form of electromagnetic waves, such as radio waves, visible light, and gamma rays.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Rayleigh scattering
- Wikipedia's article - Rayleigh scattering
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