Final answer:
The color of the sky is determined by how sunlight is scattered by the Earth's atmosphere, with shorter wavelengths like blue being scattered more efficiently, making the sky appear blue.
Step-by-step explanation:
Among the provided options, the most accurate statement regarding the color of the sky is C. Light waves change the color of the sky, and that is why it appears in different colors. The color of the sky is primarily due to the scattering of sunlight by the Earth's atmosphere. The gases that make up our atmosphere are transparent, but as sunlight comes through, it interacts and scatters off of the molecules of air. Smaller molecules scatter shorter wavelengths of light, which are the blues and violets, more efficiently than longer wavelengths like the greens, yellows, and reds. This scattering causes the sky to appear blue. At different times of the day, the angle of the sunlight changes, which affects the amount of atmosphere the sunlight passes through, altering the scattering effect and hence the color we perceive in the sky. For example, at sunrise and sunset, the sun is low on the horizon, causing sunlight to pass through more atmosphere and scatter more long-wavelengths like reds and oranges, which gives the sky a reddish appearance.
Additionally, atmospheric conditions like weather and the presence of particles can influence the color of the sky. Elements that reflect different wavelengths of light back into space can also contribute to the changing colors of the sky.