Light Colors

Light and Color

White light is an equal mixture of all of the colors of the visible light spectrum. 

• Colors that make up the visible light spectrum: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.

• Each color of light has a different wavelength and frequency.

*Each wavelength is refracted by a different amount.

*Red has the longest wavelength and refracts the least

*Violet has the shortest wavelength and refracts the most.

Multiple Choice

White light is an equal mixture of all of the colors of the visible light spectrum. What colors make up white light?

• Red, white and blue

• Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet

• Rose, orange, yellow, gray, black, pink, purple

• white

Multiple Choice

What color of light has the longest wavelength?

• red

• yellow

• green

• violet

Multiple Choice

What color of light has the shortest wavelength?

• red

• yellow

• green

• violet

Most objects absorb some wavelengths of light and reflect others. The color of an object depends on the wavelengths of the light waves it reflects.

• A green leaf reflects green light and absorbs all other wavelengths of light

• A red flower reflects red light and absorbs all other wavelengths of light

Color of objects

• yellow bananas reflect yellow wavelengths of light

• yellow bananas absorb all other wavelengths of light

Multiple Choice

Why does this apple look red?

• The apple reflects red light and absorbs all other colors

• The apple absorbs red light and reflects all other colors

• The apple reflects all the light shinning on it

White objects

We see objects as white when they reflect ALL the light that is shining on them.

We see objects as black when they ABSORB all the light that is shining on them.

Black objects

Multiple Choice

Which color REFLECTS all wavelengths of light?

• Red

• White

• Black

• Puce

Multiple Choice

Which color ABSORBS all wavelengths of light?

• Red

• White

• Black

• Puce

Different colors of light affect what we see

• Transparent or translucent objects are the colors they transmit.

• The white light which passes through transparent/translucent objects is filtered to allow only certain wavelengths of light through.

• White light shines through colored glass. The glass absorbs all wavelengths of light except the color it’s shining through.

For example

• the green wavelengths pass through the green glass to your eyes and the light looks green, all other colors are absorbed.

• the orange wavelengths pass through the orange glass to your eyes and the light looks orange, all other colors are absorbed.

Objects under filtered light

• white light-any color can be reflected (white looks white, red looks red, green looks green, blue looks blue).

• red light - objects that reflect red wavelengths (red OR white objects) look red, all others look black)

• green light - objects that reflect green wavelengths (green OR white objects) look green, all others look black)

• blue light - objects that reflect blue wavelengths (blue OR white objects) look blue, all others look black)

Multiple Select

Choose all objects that would appear to be RED under RED light.

Multiple Select

Choose all objects that would appear to be GREEN under WHITE light

Multiple Select

Choose all objects that would be BLACK under BLUE light.

Primary colors of light

• RED

• BLUE

• GREEN

• When mixed together in equal amounts R+B+G= WHITE

Secondary colors of light

• Red + Blue = Magenta

• Red + Green = Yellow

• Green + Blue = Cyan

Multiple Select

Choose all of the PRIMARY colors of light

• Red

• Orange

• Green

• Blue

• Yellow

Multiple Select

Choose all the SECONDARY colors of light

• Orange

• Cyan

• Green

• Magenta

• Yellow