Fact: Did you know that sunlight, which seems colorless to our eyes, is actually a mix of many different colors? It’s a beautiful blend of all the colors that you can see in a rainbow!
We see sunlight as “white” or colorless because it is a combination of all the colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. These colors can be separated and seen individually when sunlight passes through water droplets in the atmosphere, creating a natural phenomenon we know as a rainbow.
How does it happen?
When sunlight hits a raindrop, it bends, or refracts, and then reflects off the inside surface of the raindrop. As it exits the raindrop, the light bends again. This bending and reflecting process splits the white light into its various colors. This happens because each color in the light spectrum has a different wavelength, which means they bend at slightly different angles.
For example, red light bends the least, so it appears on the outside or top of the rainbow. Violet light bends the most, so it appears on the inside or bottom of the rainbow.
So, the next time you see a rainbow, remember: it’s a beautiful science experiment happening right before your eyes in the sky!
Let’s appreciate the beauty of science around us and continue exploring the world’s natural wonders. Stay curious, 5 Steps readers! 🌈🔭🧪
Leave a Reply