How are rainbows formed. I know it’s about refraction from water droplets, but shouldn’t you see many tiny rainbows instead of one big one.

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How are rainbows formed. I know it’s about refraction from water droplets, but shouldn’t you see many tiny rainbows instead of one big one.

In: Physics

33 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Each drop if water is sending out all the colors, but in different directions. Where you are standing you see all the red from those at the correct angle from you. That’s why it’s a circle. all the red part of the rainbow is at the same angle from you just a different direction. Same for each of the other colors. The sun is behind you so the rainbow shifts a little bit when you move but not too much.

Every person sees a different rainbow. You aren’t even seeing the same rainbow from moment to moment. it’s all just an interesting effect of lots of little water drops in the sky refracting and reflecting to your eye.

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