White light is made up of many
different colors (or frequencies) of light, in equal mixture.
The light that
is reflected from a colored object has a different mixture -- it
is now colored light.
A red object appears
to be red when viewed with white light because its pigment reflects the
red part of the white light and absorbs the blue and green parts.
The red object reflects only red light. Hence, if you shine only
red light on it, it will reflect the light back. But if you shine
blue or green light on the red object, it does not reflect blue or green
light, and so it appears to be dark.
Here are three pictures of Beauxeaux the clown, with some balloons.
She will give you one if you tell her what color it is!
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Red Light | Green Light | Blue Light |
We have turned the pictures into black and white so that you will focus on the brightness and darkness, and not on the colors themselves.
 |
What color is balloon 1? What color is balloon 2? What color is balloon 3? What color is balloon 4? What color is balloon 5? What color is balloon 6? |
|
|---|