Tell Me Why?

The Sun's light contains a perfect blend of seven colors that gives the color white which makes sunlight a white light. As demonstrated by mathematician and scientist Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727), when sunlight (white light) passes through a prism, it scatters the different colors of light according to their wavelength, showing a continuous band of colors. This band of colors appears in the same pattern as the colors of a rainbow. Therefore when the sunlight strikes the surface of an object, that object based on its properties will absorb some of these colors and the color that is reflected from its surface gives it its color. In other words, the color we see of an object is actually the light (color) - coming from that object - which was not absorbed by the object.
Every object in nature is composed of various chemical elements and as such, these elements and their combinations have varying degrees of light ray absorption, as well as, that which is reflected. Thus, depending on the elements contained by any object, this will determine its own distinctive color. For example, a red apple absorbs all colors except red, and reflects the red light waves back to our eyes and we see and say the apple is red. Also, If no light is absorbed, the object appears to be colorless. If an equal amount of all colors from the sunlight is reflected off the object, then that object will appear white. If all colors are absorbed by the object, then the object will appear black because all colors are absorbed, leaving nothing to be reflected. So, the splendid colors that poured down to earth in the form of white light from the sun is what allows us to see a variety of colors through our eyes which is interpreted by our brain, allowing us to see colors.

Labels: Colors