Electromagnetic dispersion causes light to refract or bounce off objects, creating color. Rayleigh diffusion explains why the sky is blue. Mie theory deals with larger scattering centers. Elastic and inelastic scattering have various applications in fields such as astrophysics and medical technology.
Electromagnetic dispersion is the physical effect of an electromagnetic wave, such as light or radio waves, striking an object. Instead of proceeding in straight lines, as unimpeded light waves do, the light refracts or bounces off the microscopic textures of the object. Electromagnetic dispersion is often responsible for the appearance of color and has several distinct forms.
Given sufficient knowledge about the scattering particles and waves, it is possible to predict how light will scatter. The process can also work in reverse, as scientific observation of scattering can provide insight into the incoming wave and the particles scattering it. The study of dispersion has led to major advances in several areas including computer-generated imaging, radar, and medical technology.
Why the sky is blue is a popular question which can be explained by electromagnetic scattering. Rayleigh diffusion is based on the experiments of an early 20th century English scientist, John Strutt, 3rd Baron Rayleigh. His work was conducted on the scattering effects of light waves on particles smaller than the incoming waves. Because blue has a short wavelength, it is particularly susceptible to scattering as it bounces off gas particles in the air surrounding the Earth. Red, yellow, and orange hues are much longer wavelengths, which is why they’re only visible in the sky when looking close or looking at the sun.
Due to the small size of the scattering particles in Rayleigh scattering, the shape of the particles is not considered to be significant. The largest scattering centers are covered by the Mie theory of electromagnetic scattering, named after the German physicist Gustav Mie. Mie has determined that changes in color and opacity are critical to the size and shape of the center of dispersion. His work is considered particularly useful for understanding electromagnetic diffusion through hazes or clouds.
Both Rayleigh’s and Mie’s solutions are considered elastic, which means that spreading waves does not significantly weaken their energy. There are also several other forms that deal with energy shifts due to electromagnetic scattering, including Brillouin, Raman, and Compton scattering. Compton scattering is considered particularly significant, demonstrating that light can have properties of both a wave and a stream of particles. Inelastic electromagnetic scattering is used in several fields, including astrophysics, X-ray technology, and measuring the elastic response of living tissue.
Electromagnetic diffusion is basically a simple concept, visible in everyday situations. The scientific study of scattering is extremely complex, and even the various solutions listed above do not fully explain the effects and results of all scattering situations. What was discovered led to a huge scientific breakthrough in imagery techniques, as well as finally making us understand exactly why the sky is blue.
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