Sunrises and sunsets are yellow/red in color because...

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Question restatement: Sunrises and sunsets are yellow/red in color because... (multiple choice)

Option 1: 'both' — This would imply that two separate factors are simultaneously responsible. Since one of the other options contains an incorrect claim about scattering, this choice cannot be supported as true if it relies on both factors being correct. In this context, there isn’t a second independent mechanism presented that would validate this as a true combined statement.

Option 2: 'The atmosphere at sunset always scatters lower frequency light waves' — This is not accurate. Rayleigh scattering affects shorter wavelengths (higher frequency) more strongly, not lower frequencies. While the path through the atmosphere lengthens at sunset, causing more blue/green light to scatter out and leaving longer wavelengths, the claim about always scattering lower frequency light is inconsistent with the physics of atmospheric scattering.

Option 3: 'The intensity of the higher frequency colors is diminished by having been scattered traveling through more of the atmosphere' — This aligns with the core idea of Rayleigh scattering: shorter wavelengths (higher frequency) are scattered more readily as light traverses a longer atmospheric path, removing them from the direct beam and leaving the longer wavelengths (yellow to red) visible at sunrise and sunset. The phrase 'higher frequency colors' being diminished due to longer travel through atmosphere matches the observed color shift.

Option 4: 'neither' — This would be chosen if none of the statements explained the phenomenon, but Option 3 provides a correct explanation consistent with established scattering physics, so selecting 'neither' would be inaccurate.

In summary, the reasoning for each option hinges on understanding how atmospheric scattering depends on wavelength: shorter wavelengths scatter more and are removed from the direct line of sight when the sun is near the horizon, causing the sky to appear redder/yellower at sunrise and sunset. The statement in Option 3 captures this mechanism, whereas Option 2 misstates which wavelengths scatter more, Option 1 relies on an unsupported combination, and Option 4 denies a correct explanation assignment.

Physics Honors-Henrikson Unit 9 test part 1

Sunrises and sunsets are yellow/red in color because...

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