Most of us know the order of a rainbow’s colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, dark blue, purple – but my question is why is the order like this, and not different? Does this has something to do with some ultra high level of physics?
Also this is my first ever ELI5, if I’m doing something wrong feel free to point it out for me.
In: Physics
What we perceive as white light is generally light of all the colors across the visible spectrum. When rainbows happen, this white light is bent by the water in the air, and the degree to which they are bent is determined by the wavelength of the light. This wavelength is also what our eyes detect and perceive as color. So we see a rainbow that progresses nicely from one end of the spectrum to the other. If you look up the visible light part of the electromagnetic spectrum (which is organized by wavelength) you’ll see the same progression as you do in rainbows
Latest Answers