Shot of sunbeams breaking through nebula bank

The term Tyndall effect is usually applied to the effect of light scattering on particles in colloid systems, such as suspensions or emulsions. It is named after the Irish scientist John Tyndall. The Tyndall effect is used to tell the difference between the different types of mixtures, namely solution, colloid, and suspension. For example, the Tyndall effect is noticeable when car headlamps are used in fog. The light with shorter wavelengths scatters better, thus the color of scattered light has a bluish tint. This is also the reason why the sky looks blue: the light from the sun is scattered and we see the blue light because it scatters better. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2592x1944, 1922 KB) Sonnenstrahlen die eine Nebelbank durchbrechen Source: german wikipedia, original upload 24. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2592x1944, 1922 KB) Sonnenstrahlen die eine Nebelbank durchbrechen Source: german wikipedia, original upload 24. ... In particle physics, scattering is a class of phenomena by which particles are deflected by collisions with other particles. ... In general, a colloid or colloidal dispersion is a substance with components of one or two phases, a type of mixture intermediate between homogeneous solution and heterogeneous mixture with properties also intermediate between a solution and a mixture. ... Flour suspended in water In chemistry, a suspension is a colloidal dispersion (mixture) in which a finely-divided species is combined with another species, with the former being so finely divided and mixed that it doesnt rapidly settle out. ... A. Two immisicble liquids, not emulsified; B. An emulsion of Phase B dispersed in Phase A; C. The unstable emulsion progressively separates; D. The surfactant (purple outline) positions itself on the interfaces between Phase A and Phase B, stabilizing the emulsion An emulsion is a mixture of two immiscible (unblendable... This article is about the 19th century scientist. ... Dissolving table salt in water In chemistry, a solution is a homogeneous mixture composed of one or more substances, known as solutes, dissolved in another substance, known as a solvent. ... In general, a colloid or colloidal dispersion is a substance with components of one or two phases, a type of mixture intermediate between homogeneous solution and heterogeneous mixture with properties also intermediate between a solution and a mixture. ... Flour suspended in water In chemistry, a suspension is a colloidal dispersion (mixture) in which a finely-divided species is combined with another species, with the former being so finely divided and mixed that it doesnt rapidly settle out. ... Evening fog obscures Londons Tower Bridge from passers by. ...

This effect occurs because short wavelengths of light towards the blue end of the spectrum hit the air molecules in the earth's atmosphere and are reflected down to the earth's surface. Longer wavelengths towards the red end of the spectrum are not affected by the particles and pass on through the earth's atmosphere. This causes blue light to be reflected down to the earth's surface which makes the sky appear blue.

See also

• John Tyndall
• Rayleigh scattering
• Diffuse sky radiation (Why is the sky blue?)
• Brownian motion, physical phenomenon where minute particles immersed in a fluid move about randomly.