#306 Why is the Sky Blue?
White light is the sunlight you see every day. It is made up of all of the colors of the rainbow. The sky is blue because molecules in the air take in the blue wavelength and disperse them across the sky for your eyes to see. But there is an exception at sunrise and sunset. When the sun is shining on the horizon blue wavelengths cannot reach your eyes making way for red and orange wavelengths. You can do an experiment at home to prove this by following the steps on the Wonderopolis.com website, wonder #306.
Horizon = the line where the earth and the sky appear to meet.
Wavelength = The distance between one peak or crest of a wave of light, heat, or other energy and the next
Molecule = The smallest particle of a substance that retains the chemical and physical properties of the substance and is composed of two or more atoms