

These invisible rays are present on both sides of the rainbow. Other waves of light are also reflected from the rainbow, however, these light waves are not visible to the naked human eye. Similarly, the other colors are also ordered according to their wavelength. Because the red light wavelength is longer, it most commonly appears on the outside edge of the rainbow. Violet light, in contrast, has the shortest wavelength and bends at around 40 degrees before exiting the water droplet. For example, red light has the longest wavelength and only bends at about a 42-degree angle. Since the white light is separated inside of the water, the refracted light appears as separate colors to the human eye.Įach individual wave of color has a different length. When these bent light waves reach the other side of the water droplet, they reflect back out of the droplet instead of completely traversing the water. Some individuals refer to refracted light as “bent light waves.” A rainbow is formed because white light enters the water droplet, where it bends in several different directions. When light refracts, it takes a different direction. When light reflects off a water droplet, it simply bounces back in the opposite direction from where it originated.

The light waves change direction as they pass through the water droplets, resulting in two processes: reflection and refraction. How Is a Rainbow Formed?Ī rainbow is formed when light (generally sunlight) passes through water droplets hanging in the atmosphere.

The outer edge of the rainbow arc is red, while the inner edge is violet. Biv” stands for: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Biv” as a mnemonic device for remembering the colors of a rainbow and their order. In fact, school children in many English-speaking countries are taught to remember the name “Roy G. Rainbows present a spectrum made up of seven colors in a specific order. In essence, a rainbow is an optical illusion. Instead, the appearance of a rainbow depends entirely upon the position of the observer in relation to the direction of light.

An observer may perceive a rainbow to be located either near or far away, however, this phenomenon is not actually located at any specific spot. The colors of a rainbow are produced by the reflection and dispersion of light through water droplets present in the atmosphere. A rainbow is a multi-colored, arc-shaped phenomenon that can appear in the sky.
