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Question
What is atmospheric refraction?
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Solution
The refraction of light caused by the earth’s atmosphere (having air layers of varying optical densities) is called atmospheric refraction.
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RELATED QUESTIONS
What is atmospheric refraction? Use this phenomenon to explain the following natural events:
Twinkling of stars
Draw diagrams to illustrate your answers.
Explain why the planets do not twinkle.
Name two effects produced by the atmospheric refraction.
State whether the following statement is true or false:
The planets twinkle at night due to atmospheric refraction of light.
Fill in the following blank with suitable word:
We can see the sun about ................ minutes before the actual sunrise and about ................ minutes after the actual sunset because of atmospheric ................
The twinkling of stars is due to atmospheric:
(a) reflection of light
(b) dispersion of light
(c) interference of light
(d) refraction of light
The atmospheric refraction of light causes the twinkling of:
(a) planets only
(b) stars only
(c) planets and stars
(d) stars and satellites
The stars twinkle but the planets do not twinkle at night because:
(a) the stars are small but the planets are large
(b) the stars are very large but planets are small
(c) the stars are much nearer but planets are far off
(d) the stars are far off but planets are nearer to earth
Due to atmospheric refraction of sunlight, the time from sunrise to sunset is lengthened by about:
(a) 6 minutes
(b) 2 minutes
(c) 4 minutes
(d) 5 minutes
By how much time the day would have been shorter if the earth had no atmosphere?
A student claims that because of atmospheric refraction, the sun can be seen after it has set, and the day is, therefore, longer than if the earth had no atmosphere.
Do you think that the students conclusion is correct?
State one effect produced by the scattering of light by the atmosphere.
Why does the sky appear blue on a clear day?
What causes the scattering of blue component of sunlight in the atmosphere?
Which of the following is not caused by the atmospheric refraction of light?
(a) twinkling of stars at night
(b) sun appearing higher in the sky than it actually is
(c) sun becoming visible two minutes before actual sunrise
(d) sun appearing red at sunset
A star sometimes appears brighter and some other times fainter. What is this effect called? State the reason for this effect.
Explain why the planets do not twinkle but the stars twinkle.
The air layer of the atmosphere whose temperature is less than the hot layer behave as optically:
