Colors

In 1665-1666, Isaac Newton studied sunlight and discovered that it could be broken down into a rainbow of colors by a prism. Today, we know that the rainbow of colors one gets from a prism is a consequence of refraction and the different wavelengths of different colors. "White" sunlight is not really white-there is no wavelength of light that is white. Rather, it is a mixture of many different colors that appears white to our brains after being processed by our eyes. (Seeincandescent light) In the same way that the sun can produce light of many different wavelengths that appears white when mixed, televisions and computer screens also mix light to produce different colors. If you examine your computer screen or television with a magnifying glass, you will see tiny dots, probably red, green and blue. By mixing these colors in different amounts, a large range of colors can be produced. [applet!]

Did you know that long before color television was invented, artists did the same thing? The pointillists and post-impressionistic artists painted with many many little tiny dots of color. Up close, their paintings didn't appear to be anything, but when you stepped back and let your eye mix the dots into other colors, you would see the subject of painting. By letting the eye mix the colors, they were able to achieve a brighter, more vibrant palette.

Next article: Reflection