LIGHT AND WAVELENGTH

LIGHT AND WAVELENGTH

Color comes from light, which is made of waves; red light has long waves (~700
nm) and blue light has short waves (~450 nm), with the visible spectrum showing
colors from red to violet; beyond this spectrum, infrared has longer waves than red
and ultraviolet has shorter waves than violet; a prism can split white light into
different colors, and our eyes see these colors because of special cells.
PRIMARY COLOR
PRIMARY COLOR
PRIMARY COLOR
PRIMARY COLOR
PRIMARY COLOR
PRIMARY COLOR
PRIMARY COLOR
 PRIMARY COLOR
Primary colors mix to make other colors. For screens, red, green, and blue (RGB) are used, mixing
all three makes white, and examples include red + green = yellow, green + blue = cyan, and blue +
red = magenta. For painting and printing, cyan, magenta, and yellow (CMY) are used, mixing all
three makes black, and examples include cyan + magenta = blue, magenta + yellow = red, and
yellow + cyan = green.
SEEING COLORS
 SEEING COLORS
Our eyes have special cells called cones that detect
color; there are three types—red-sensitive, green-
sensitive, and blue-sensitive—which send signals to the
brain when light enters the eye and hits them, allowing
us to see all colors, for example, if red and green cones
are activated, we see yellow.
 SEEING COLORS
Our eyes have special cells called cones that detect
color; there are three types—red-sensitive, green-
sensitive, and blue-sensitive—which send signals to the
brain when light enters the eye and hits them, allowing
us to see all colors, for example, if red and green cones
are activated, we see yellow.
 FEELING
Green
Red
Yellow
Purple
-Brings
Makes
-Brings
-Often
royalty
feel
feelings
usfeelings
makes
excitement
of relaxed
think
happiness
and and
usof
of
luxury.
andand
AND
COLOR
passion.
-Also
energy.
adds a sense
peaceful.
--Also
of
Also
- Also
mystery
makes
grabs
reminds and
usus of
alert
creativity.
attention
andand
nature cansafety.
and can
suggest
suggest
danger.
caution.
 Red Green Yellow Purple
-Brings feelings of -Often makes us -Brings feelings of Makes us think of
excitement and feel relaxed and happiness and royalty and luxury.
passion. peaceful. energy. -Also adds a sense
- Also makes us -Also reminds us of - Also grabs of mystery and
alert and can nature and safety. attention and can creativity.
suggest danger. suggest caution.