^Scattering of light
^Scattering of light
When unpolarized light falls on a gas or air molecules light falling on air molecules. The electric field of light polarises the air molecule makes it an electric dipole, which starts oscillating under the influence of oscillatory electric field of light & these dipoles radiate electromagnetic waves in all directions. This process is called scattering of light & the radiated light is called scattered light, it is unpolarized & intensity is found to be strongest along a line perpendicular to the oscillation, & drops to zero along the line of oscillation. The amount of scattering depends on the obstacle size coming in its way e.g. dust particles, rain drops, ice particles etc. We have divided scattering in two type.
1. Rayleigh scattering
When size of obstacles encountered by the light is much smaller than the wavelength (a << λ) of light used, the amount of scattering is inversally proportional to the fourth power of the wavelength of light.
