eli5: If blue portion of the white light spectrum is absorbed (scattered) in the atmosphere due to Reileigh scattering, does it mean that what we perceive as, say, purple colour would look different without the atmosphere ? (because more of the blue spectrum would be shining on the object)

Question

eli5: If blue portion of the white light spectrum is absorbed (scattered) in the atmosphere due to Reileigh scattering, does it mean that what we perceive as, say, purple colour would look different without the atmosphere ? (because more of the blue spectrum would be shining on the object)

In: Physics

Answer 1

No. Scattered isn’t the same as absorbed. The blue is scattered so it seems to come from everywhere, the rest directly from the Sun. The *net* is the full spectrum. You get the blue and red and yellow. In the sky we see separate, but the total is white.