Chapter 1
The physics of bending light
Chapter 2
Rare and unusual rainbow types
Chapter 3
Rainbows in global mythology
Chapter 4
How we see color
YOUR GOAL
Master of The science of rainbows
Ch 4 · How we see color
streetspirit Human Color Vision
Red, green, and blue cones catch the light, to bring the rainbow inside your mind.
streetspirit Violet light stimulates our red and blue cones, making us see it as purplish.
streetspirit Human eyes use three types of cone cells to translate light wavelengths into colors.
BETA
streetspirit Sort the colorful peepers by shade to master the order of the rainbow.
Fun Fact
Purple absence: Pure purple does not exist in a rainbow because it requires mixing red and blue light, which are on opposite ends.
Glossary
cone (noun)
A light-sensitive cell in the retina of the eye that is responsible for color vision. In 1802, Thomas Young proposed that human eyes utilize three different types of these color receptors.
A light-sensitive cell in the retina of the eye that is responsible for color vision. In 1802, Thomas Young proposed that human eyes utilize three different types of these color receptors.
Quiz
Approximately how many cone cells does the human retina contain to detect color?
Quiz
Which color name is typically the last to develop in historical human languages?
Quiz
What is the rare genetic condition that allows some people to have four color-sensing cone cells?
Quiz
What are the three colors of light that the human eye's cone cells are specialized to detect?
Quiz
Why does violet light trigger our red-sensing cone cells despite having a short wavelength?
Quiz
Which two colors did Isaac Newton add to his spectrum list to match musical harmony?