Why Rainbows are curve if light travels in a straight line?

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We all know that light follows Rectilinear Propagation and it sometimes bend while diffraction, but i never understand the concept of rainbow and the reason why it is a curve. I have read books and all and everywhere it says that white light passes through raindrops and boom! It is now a circular arc of 7 lights. I understand the phenomenon of refraction and know light of different wavelengths separate when passes through a prism. But after passing through prism, those light travels straight.

But why is rainbow curve? 🌈

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8 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

The roundness is because the source of the light is from the sun which is also round. The rainbow itself is only a “bow” because you are typically viewing it from the earth where the lower part of the bow get’s cut off. If you were very high up, you would see a circular spectrum (a raincircle?).

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