How Do We See Color?

This is a topic we have discussed in art, “How Do We See Color?”

Let’s begin by remembering white light, particularly sunlight, is made of all colors.  If you have ever seen an optical prism, it has a transparent triangular base with rectangular sides, and its polished surfaces reflect light.  The prism disperses the light passing through it into differing wavelengths.  So light of different colors become refracted differently and leaves the prism at different angles, creating a rainbow effect.

How about trying to create a rainbow of your very own? 

K-2 Kids

Try making a rainbow with your water hose.  Watch the following video for how to use your hose with light.

https://youtu.be/3yxp2LDn8AA

3-5 Kids

You can make a simple prism with a mirror and water:

https://youtu.be/GI50MSQGHXw

Now for how we see color.  Our eyes and brain together translate light into color.  The receptors within our eyes transmit messages to the brain which produces familiar sensations of color.  As we look at an object, a red apple for example, the surface of the apple reflects red, while absorbing all the other colors so we only see the red reflected color.  Additionally, an object appears white in color when it reflects all wavelengths and black when it absorbs them all.  

Here is a link below to further explain how we see color:

https://youtu.be/DJDBTNbAWOE

Extension

Many wonder how animals see color.  It has been thought that our fury friends can only see in black and white, but not true.  Animals do see colors differently than us humans.  As humans, we all have the same types of photoreceptors in our eyes and will perceive the same colors.  When an animal sees the same light, they perceive something totally different because they have an entirely different set of photoreceptors.  They do not have as many cones responsible for color as we have, but various species have different ways of seeing.  Cats, for instance, can see very well at night.