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Ayesha_Sadiq
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I am guessing this is due to diffraction due to the small size of the molecules of air. But then, we never see diffraction effects (interference) for any arrangement or configuration of molecules in space?
FilupSmith said:Have you ever looked at your shadow when it bright and sunny? Move your hand further away from the ground... what will happen is that the shadow will look blurry. Why? As the above stated, diffraction comes into effect BUT more importantly, the smaller the object, the smaller the shadow. The smaller the shadow, the less diffraction is needed to hide or remove the shadow.
Chronos said:A mirage is an example of air casting 'shadows'. Changes in air density causes both diffraction and refraction. The transmissibility of light through air is affected both by temperature gradients and turbulence.
It's a matter of geometry, not diffraction (remember the School diagram with Umbra and Penumbra?)Have you ever looked at your shadow when it bright and sunny? Move your hand further away from the ground... what will happen is that the shadow will look blurry.
The main reason why we can't see shadows in the air is because air is a transparent medium. This means that light can pass through it without being scattered or absorbed, which is necessary for the formation of shadows.
No, air cannot be considered a solid or a liquid in terms of shadow formation. Solids and liquids have particles that are closely packed together, which allows them to block or absorb light and form shadows. Air, on the other hand, has particles that are more spread out, making it difficult for them to form a solid barrier to block light and create shadows.
On cloudy days, the air is not completely transparent due to the presence of water droplets and ice crystals in the atmosphere. These particles can scatter and absorb light, creating areas of darkness behind them and forming shadows.
Technically, air can form shadows in certain conditions. For example, if there is smoke or dust in the air, these particles can block or scatter light and create shadows. However, in general, air is not dense enough to consistently form shadows like solid objects can.
While the lack of shadow formation in air may seem like a simple concept, it actually has significant scientific implications. Understanding how light interacts with different mediums, such as air, is crucial in fields such as optics, meteorology, and astronomy. It also helps us to better understand the properties of air and how it affects our daily lives.