Light and colour

Physics

Unit Electromagnetic waves

:
Outcome

I can describe what is different about light of different

colours and explain the apparent colour of objects when
illuminated with different colours of light.
Keywords

electromagnetic wave

frequency

wavelength

refract

opaque
Keywords

Electromagnetic waves are ripples / oscillations in the

invisible electric and magnetic fields that are all around us.

The frequency of a wave is the number of oscillations that occur per

second.

The wavelength of a wave is the distance between one point on a

wave and the same point on the next wave.

Waves are said to refract when they change direction upon entering a
new medium.

An object is opaque if no light is transmitted through it.

Lesson outline

Light and colour

The different colours of light

The colour of opaque objects

Colour filters
The visible light spectrum
Explanation

Light can be thought of as a wave.

Waves occur when something is disturbed or
made to oscillate, and the disturbance or
oscillation travels.
Light waves are electromagnetic waves:
oscillations (ripples) in invisible electric and
magnetic fields that are all around us.
Light sources like this green LED disturb
nearby electric and magnetic fields. The
ripples travel outwards, transferring
energy.
Simulations by PhET Interactive Simulations, University of Colorado Boulder, licensed under CC–BY–4.0 (https://phet.colorado.edu).
The visible light spectrum
Explanation

The frequency of a wave is the number of oscillations per second.

This is also the number of waves that arrive at a point per second.
Frequency is measured in hertz (Hz).
Amplitude = the maximum
λ
displacement from the undisturbed
position.
Wavelength (λ) = the distance
between one point on a wave and
the same point on the next wave.
The waves in the animation are transverse: the oscillation is at 90° to the
direction of energy transfer.
The visible light spectrum
Explanation

Electromagnetic waves are transverse oscillations in

electric and magnetic fields. They can have any
frequency.
The different colours of light are just
electromagnetic waves with different
frequencies.

A rainbow pattern of coloured light is called a

visible light spectrum.
400 60 80
A ‘spectrum’ is just a continuous range or frequency
0 (terahertz)
0
scale.
A visible light spectrum shows the full range of colours (frequencies)
that visible light waves can have.
The different colours of light
Check

Rainbows are said to contain 7 colours. In reality, there is a

continuous spectrum (range) of colours.

1) Give the order of ‘the 7 colours of the rainbow’.

red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet

2) Which colour of light has the lowest frequency and which has the highest?

lowest = red light highest = violet light

The different colours of light
Explanation

The wavelength (λ) of any wave speed = frequency × wavelength

wave is found by the wave v=f×
equation: λ
In air or a vacuum, the wave speed of wavelength (nanometres)
electromagnetic waves is a 70 50 400
constant: 0 0
3 × 108 m/s (300 000 000 m/s).
This means that frequency and
400 60 80
wavelength are inversely proportional. frequency
0 (terahertz)
0

When one increases, the other decreases, to the inverse proportion.

For example, a light wave with double the frequency will have half the
wavelength.
The visible light spectrum
Check

The 7 colours of the rainbow

are labelled in order, from
left to right.
red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet

Starting at red and moving through the spectrum to violet, in what order
do the different colours of light appear?

a increasing frequency b decreasing frequency

c increasing speed in air d decreasing speed in air

e increasing wavelength f decreasing wavelength

The visible light spectrum
Explanation

The Sun and standard light bulbs give out white light.

White light is a mixture of all the different

frequencies (colours) of visible light.
This can be shown by passing white light
through a triangular glass prism to
produce a visible light spectrum.
The effect can be called dispersion.

A second prism can recombine the separated colours back into white light.

This experiment was first performed and explained by Isaac Newton in

around the year 1670.
The different colours of light
Explanation

Dispersion occurs because different frequencies of light have different

speeds in some media, so refract through different angles. Refraction
also changes the wavelength of the waves, but not the frequency
(colour).
Higher frequency light waves refract more because they travel slower in
a medium like glass.
In a rectangular glass block, this effect is barely noticeable
as the rays leave the block parallel and very close
together.
In a triangular prism, rays are
refracted twice in the same direction.
Different colours leave the block at
different angles and spread apart.
The different colours of light
Check

Which of the following statements most accurately

explains the effect on white light as it passes through a
prism?
a The glass of the prism adds colour to the
light.
b The light reacts with the glass and changes colour.

c The prism splits the white light up into the different colours it is
made up from.

d The light that refracts less changes colour to red and the light that
refracts more becomes violet.
Task A The different colours of light Practice

1) Add labels to the diagram of the

prism to show which rays
represent white, red and violet
light.
2) Use the terms frequency, wavelength or wave speed to fill each gap.
When light enters a glass block from air, refraction can happen because
the __________ changes. The __________ of the light wave also changes but
the __________ stays the same. The __________ of a visible light wave sets
the colour.
Violet light refracts more than red light because violet light has a greater
__________ and the __________ decreases more when it enters glass.
Task A The different colours of light Feedbac
k

1) Add labels to the diagram of the red

prism to show which rays light
represent white, red and violet white light
light. violet
2) Use the terms frequency, wavelength or wave speed to fill each light

Whenblank.
light enters a glass block from air, refraction can happen because
wave speed changes. Thewavelength
the __________ __________ of the light wave also changes but
the __________ stays the same. The __________
frequency of a visible light wave sets
frequency
the colour.
Violet light refracts more than red light because violet light has a greater
frequency
__________ and the __________ decreases more when it enters glass.
wave speed
Lesson outline

Light and colour

The different colours of light

The colour of opaque objects

Colour filters
The colour of opaque objects
Explanation

When waves are incident on a surface, the waves may be

partly or totally reflected, transmitted or absorbed.

Transparent materials transmit most incident

light in a regular way, so you can see
through the material.

Translucent materials also transmit light

but there is significant scattering and / or
absorption so you cannot clearly see
through the material.
The colour of opaque objects
Explanation

Opaque objects transmit no incident light. All of the

light is either reflected or absorbed.
Wavelengths that are not reflected are
absorbed. viewpoint
white light
The colour of an opaque
object depends on which
wavelengths of light are
most strongly reflected.

Green objects reflect green light. The

other wavelengths of light are
absorbed.
The colour of opaque objects
Explanation

Red surfaces reflect red light. Blue surfaces reflect blue light.
Other wavelengths are absorbed. Other wavelengths are absorbed.

white light white light

White surfaces reflect all colours of Black surfaces reflect no colours

light equally. of light. All wavelengths are
absorbed.
white light white light
The colour of opaque objects
Check

A team’s football kit has blue shirts and white shorts.

Which of the following statements are correct?

a The shirt adds a blue colour to light from the Sun.

b The shirt reflects blue light from the Sun.

c The shirt changes the colour of light from the Sun to blue.

d The shirt gives out blue light.

e The shorts reflect blue light from the Sun.

The colour of opaque objects
Explanation

Different colours of light can combine to make other colours of

light. The colours of light mix in a different way to how paints mix:

R + G makes yellow

G + B makes cyan

B + R makes magenta

Any colour can be created from mixing red, green and blue light at
different intensities. They are called the primary colours of light.
Simulation by PhET Interactive Simulations, University of Colorado Boulder, licensed under CC–BY–4.0 (https://phet.colorado.edu).
The colour of opaque objects
Explanation

This shows a phone screen viewed under a microscope.

The screen consists of thousands of tiny lights, but
they are only red, green and blue.
Any colour can be created on the screen by varying
the amount of R, G and B light created.

Cyan, magenta and yellow are the secondary

colours of light, made from mixing two of the
primary colours in equal proportions.
Mixing all three primary colours of light together in equal
proportions makes white light.
Colour mixing by Immanuelle, licensed by CC BY–SA 4.0
The colour of opaque objects
Check

Give the names of the missing colours.

1 R + G
? makes yellow
)

2) B + R makes ? magenta

3) B
? + G makes cyan
The colour of opaque objects
Explanation

Human eyes contain three kinds of colour–detecting ‘cone’

cells.
Each kind absorbs and detects a different
range of wavelengths, roughly
corresponding to red (R), green (G) and blue
(B) light.
Each kind of cell sends an electrical signal to the brain when it absorbs
light in its wavelength range.
If more than one kind of cone ‘fires’ at once, we don’t experience both
colours together. The brain interprets this as other colours. The colour
we see depends on the levels of the R, G and B signals our brain
receives.
We can represent white light using just R, G and B rays to represent the
three wavelength ranges that stimulate the three kinds of cone cells.
The colour of opaque objects
Explanation

Surfaces may reflect more than one colour of light.

Yellow surfaces reflect red and Magenta surfaces reflect red and
green light equally but absorb blue. blue equally but absorb green.

white light white light

Printers often use cyan, magenta and

yellow ink, not red, green and blue. white light
Red is created by printing yellow
and magenta together.
The colour of opaque objects
Explanation

If light does not contain the colours that reflect off a

surface, the surface looks black.

blue light cyan light

viewpoint

green surface red surface

green light

magenta surface
The colour of opaque objects
Check

A blue cube is illuminated with red light.

red light
1) What colour does the cube appear?

a blue b red blue

cube
c magenta d black

2) Choose the option that most accurately explains your answer.

a red and blue make b the cube is blue
magenta
c blue surfaces do not reflect d objects look redder in red
red light light
The colour of opaque objects
Explanation

Here is Alex’s costume for the This is what his costume looks like
school show, as seen in white under different coloured spotlights:
light:
white hat
red green cyan
red T–shirt
with a green
circle and
magenta
sleeves
blue robe
The colour of opaque objects
Check

What colours will Alex’s costume appear under blue stage

lighting?

white hat

red T–shirt
with a green
circle and
magenta
sleeves a b c d
blue robe
The colour of opaque objects
Check

What colours will Alex’s costume appear under magenta

stage lighting?

white hat

red T–shirt
with a green
circle and
magenta
sleeves a b c d
blue robe
Task B The colour of opaque objects Practice

1) Izzy’s costume is black hat R G B

shown in white light. blue T–shirt hat
Put ticks in the table with a white T–shirt body
to show which parts triangle and triangle
reflect red (R), green green sleeves sleeves
(G) and blue (B) robe
cyan robe
light.
2) Predict the colour that each part will appear in blue and yellow
light. hat T–shirt body triangle sleeves robe
in blue light
in yellow
light
Task B The colour of opaque objects Feedbac
k

1) Izzy’s costume is black hat R G B

shown in white light. blue T–shirt hat
Put ticks in the table with a white T–shirt body
to show which parts triangle and triangle
reflect red (R), green green sleeves sleeves
(G) and blue (B) robe
cyan robe
light.
2) Predict the colour that each part will appear in blue and yellow
light. hat T–shirt body triangle sleeves robe
in blue light blac blue blue blac blue
in yellow k
blac blac yellow k
gree gree
light
k k n n
Lesson outline

Light and colour

The different colours of light

The colour of opaque objects

Colour filters
Colour filters
Explanation

Objects that transmit light often only transmit some

wavelengths. The other wavelengths are absorbed.
red filter
This is how coloured filters
produce coloured light from a
source of white light. white light magenta
filter
The colour of a filter depends on
the wavelength(s) of light it
transmits through to our eyes. white light

A secondary colour filter (yellow, magenta or cyan) can transmit two

wavelength ranges, e.g. a magenta filter can transmit red and blue light.
Colour filters
Explanation

Perception of colour by the human brain is complex. It can be

affected by many factors, including our expectations.

Look at this snooker table.

Covered with a red filter, only
wavelengths in a range close to
red are transmitted.
Does the yellow ball still appear as a
shade of yellow or is it now a shade of
red?
Are the stripes in the middle black
or gold?
Colour filters
Check

A white spotlight is covered with a red filter and shone towards Alex.
Which of the following explains the effect of the red filter?

a All of the white light shone on the filter reacts and

becomes red light.

b A red filter absorbs all of the red light and that’s

why the filter looks red.

c A red filter only transmits red light from

the white spotlight.

d The filter changes the wavelength of the light from

white wavelengths to red wavelengths.
Task C Colour filters Practice

Here is Alex’s costume, as seen in white white hat

light:
1) A white spotlight is covered with a red T–shirt with a
red filter and shone towards Alex. green circle and
Explain what colour each part of Alex’s magenta sleeves
costume will appear to be.
blue robe
2) The red filter is replaced with a magenta one.

Jun A magenta filter will have

Is Jun correct?
the same effect as a red
Explain your
filter on top of a blue filter.
answer.
Task C Colour filters Feedbac
k

Here is Alex’s costume, as seen in white white hat

light:
1) A white spotlight is covered with a red T–shirt with a
red filter and shone towards Alex. green circle and
Explain what colour each part of Alex’s magenta sleeves
costume will appear to be.
blue robe
Your answer should include these
ideas:
A red filter only transmits red light to Alex. The hat, T–shirt and
sleeves all reflect red light so will appear red. The circle and the
robe will appear black as these do not reflect red light; they
absorb it.
Task C Colour filters Feedbac
k

2) The red filter is replaced with a magenta filter.

Jun A magenta filter will have

Is Jun correct?
the same effect as a red
Explain your
filter on top of a blue filter.
answer.

Your answer should include these ideas:

Jun is incorrect. A magenta filter transmits both red and blue
light. When a blue filter is placed over a white light, only blue
light is transmitted. So, as a red filter can only transmit red light,
placing a red filter on top of a blue filter means that no light will
Note:
be colour filters in schools may not be perfect and some light
transmitted.
outside the expected transmission ranges may be transmitted.
Summar Light and colour
y
Light waves are oscillations (ripples) in invisible electric and
magnetic fields that are all around us; electromagnetic waves.
The different colours of light are just electromagnetic
waves with different frequencies. Violet light has the
highest frequency and the shortest wavelength. Violet
light is slower in glass so refracts through greater
angles.
White light is a mixture of all wavelengths of light in equal intensities.
Transparent and translucent objects transmit most incident light.
Opaque objects transmit no incident light. The colour of an opaque
object depends on which wavelengths of the incident light are reflected.
Colour filters only transmit certain wavelengths, absorbing the others.
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