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Pranav Jha
- 141
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Why does smoke from a campfire look blue against trees near the ground but yellow against the sky?
schip666! said:transmitted light when looking against the sky. If smoke reflects blue it will pass more yellow...
Pranav Jha said:Why does it reflect blue but transmit yellow on the first place? Secondly, why would it seem yellow if it transmitted more yellow? If it is reflecting blue, shouldn't it appear bluish?
Pranav Jha said:Why does smoke from a campfire look blue against trees near the ground but yellow against the sky?
schip666! said:ah...scattering...much better explanation than reflection...but maybe there's a bit of both?
thx
Cleonis said:That leaves the matter of how that "scattering" is supposed to take place. We are familiar with the concept of light being diffracted when it passes through very small holes (holes close in size to the wavelength of light). When there are particles in the air with a size in the order of the wavelength of light there are diffraction effects too (but in a very "diluted" form of course.)
Cleonis said:Expanding on what schip666 has written:
Some of the smoke particles are small enough to scatter light. The smoke particles are very diluted in the air, but a small portion of the light traveling through the smoke is scattered. The blue portion of the spectrum is scattered more strongly than the red portion.
The blue color of the trees is caused by the presence of a chemical compound called anthocyanin. This compound is produced in response to changes in pH levels and acts as a natural sunscreen for the tree's leaves.
The yellow color of the sky is a result of light scattering. When smoke particles from the campfire are present in the air, they scatter shorter blue and green wavelengths of light, leaving only longer yellow, orange, and red wavelengths visible.
No, the blue color of the trees is a natural occurrence and does not harm the environment. In fact, anthocyanin has antioxidant properties and can help protect the tree from damage caused by UV radiation.
Yes, the blue color of the trees can be replicated under certain conditions. Anthocyanin production is influenced by factors such as sunlight, soil pH, and temperature. So, it is possible to create blue trees in controlled environments with the right conditions.
The impact of "Campfire Smoke: Blue Trees, Yellow Sky" on nearby ecosystems is minimal. The color change is temporary and does not affect the overall health of the trees. However, the presence of smoke particles in the air can cause respiratory issues for some animals and humans, so it is important to practice responsible campfire practices.