The key difference between Tyndall effect and scattering of light is that the Tyndall effect is the scattering of light by the particles in its path in a colloidal mixture, whereas scattering of light refers to the spread of light in all directions by the particles that are present in its path.
The scattering of light can be described as the spread of light due to the collision with particles. This can occur in different ways, such as the Rayleigh effect, selective scattering, Mie scattering, electromagnetic scattering, Tyndall effect, etc.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Scattering of Light
3. What is Tyndall Effect
4. Tyndall Effect vs Scattering of Light in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Tyndall Effect vs Scattering of Light
What is Scattering of Light?
Scattering of light is the process in which small particles scatter light, causing optical phenomena such as blue color in the sky and halos. The small particles include ice crystals, dust, atmospheric particulates, cosmic dust, and blood cells.
The basis of theoretical and computational methods that describe light scattering are Maxwell’s equations. However, the exact solutions for these equations are only known for selected particle geometries such as spherical particles. Light scattering by particles is a branch of computational electromagnetics that deals with electromagnetic radiation scattering and absorption through particles.
The approximate methods for the measurement of the scattering of light include Rayleigh scattering, geometric optics, anomalous diffraction theory, and complex angular momentum.
What is Tyndall Effect?
Tyndall effect can be described as the scattering of light by particles in a colloid or in a very fine suspension. This scattering is similar to Rayleigh scattering. Here, the intensity of the scattered light is inversely proportional to the fourth power of the wavelength; therefore, blur light is scattered more strongly than red light. For instance, the blue color sometimes can be observed in the smoke emitted by motorcycles, particularly two-stroke machines in which the burnt engine oil provides these particles.
When there is the Tyndall effect, light with longer wavelengths is transmitted, while light with shorter wavelengths is reflected via scattering. This effect can be observed when light-scattering particulate matter disperses in an otherwise light-transmitting medium in which the diameter of an individual particle can be found in the range of roughly 40 – 900 nm, which is somewhat below or near the wavelengths of visible light.
Particularly, this effect is applicable to colloid mixtures and fine suspensions. For instance, the Tyndall effect is useful in nephelometers in determining the size and density of particles in aerosols along with other colloidal matter as well. This effect was discovered by John Tyndall in the 19th century.
What is the Difference Between Tyndall Effect and Scattering of Light?
The Tyndall effect is a type of scattering of light. The key difference between Tyndall effect and scattering of light is that the Tyndall effect is the scattering of light by the particles in its path in a colloidal mixture, whereas scattering of light refers to the spread of light in all directions by the particles that are present in its path. Moreover, while the Tyndall effect occurs in colloidal dispersions such as suspensions, scattering of light can occur in any atmosphere with particles.
The following table summarizes the difference between Tyndall effect and scattering of light.
Summary – Tyndall Effect vs Scattering of Light
The key difference between Tyndall effect and scattering of light is that the Tyndall effect is the scattering of light by the particles in its path in a colloidal mixture, whereas the scattering of light is the spread of light in all directions by the particles that are present in its path.
Reference:
1. “What Is Scattering of Light?” Stem Learning, 3 June 2022.
Image Courtesy:
1. “SonneNebel” (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Light matter scattering” By Klaus-Dieter Keller – Own work (CC BY 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia