Why Is the Sky Blue?

What You'll Learn

• Sunlight looks white but is really all the rainbow colors mixed together
• Each color of light travels in waves — blue has tiny bouncy waves, red has big slow waves
• The air scatters (bounces and spreads) blue light the most
• That scattered blue light comes from every direction, making the sky look blue
• At sunset, light travels through more air, so blue scatters away and red/ororange remain

Words to Know

**Sunlight**

The light from the sun — really all the rainbow colors mixed together

"Sunlight looks white but holds every color."

**Scatter**

To bounce and spread all around

"The air scatters blue light across the sky."

**Wave**

The wiggly way light travels; blue waves are small and bouncy

"Blue light has tiny, bouncy waves."

**Prism**

A clear shape that splits sunlight into a rainbow

"The prism turned the sunbeam into a rainbow."

**Sunset**

When the low sun makes the sky turn orange and red

"We saw blue scatter away at sunset."

Check What You Learned