Where Do Colors Come From?

Where Do Colors Come From?
By Shilpa Shah

Color is the language of the universe. It interconnects our body, heart, and soul. It soothes our emotions, spurs energy into us, protects, and raises our health and our spirits. Color is everywhere we see. Blue sky, green grass, orange sunset, brown barks, etc. The seven colors of nature, the colors of the rainbow, are the colors that make this earth look so beautiful.

Sun light has no color of its own. It simply appears to be white. When this light is passed though a prism, it refracts the seven colors, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. This was discovered by Isaac Newton. A similar example is easily demonstrated in the nature. After rainfall, there is a lot of moisture in the rain. This moisture, in the form of water droplets, refracts the seven colors of the sun light forming a spectacularly beautiful rainbow. Colors are light waves that are reflected and absorbed by all things around us. When this white color falls on a red rose, all colors are absorbed except for red. The flower reflects red making it appear red in color. Similarly, in case of a white flower, all colors are absorbed. No color is refracted. Hence, the flower looks white in color.

Color is made up of different frequencies and wavelengths. Every color has its own frequency and wavelength. The color is determined by the light's wavelength. These wavelengths correspond to the distance between the crests, like that in a wave rising from a water body. However, the wavelength of light is so small that it has to be measured in very small units. Color with the shortest wavelength is violet, whereas, red has the longest. Most of the colors like purple, brown, pink, etc do not have a single wavelength. They are a combination of two or more wavelengths. Purple is a combination of two primary colors, red, and violet. Brown comprises of three different wavelengths, orange, red, and yellow. Pink is made of red and white.

What we see is nothing but just refraction. Objects and living things like trees and flowers do not have color of their own. They just refract the colors of sunlight, and in some cases absorb to appear white. A black bag looks black because it does not absorb any of the colors. It refracts all the colors appearing to be black.

Try this. In the day, when the sun is shining bright in the sky, you see everything clearly. In the night, why do not you see anything? That is because there are no colors these trees and objects can reflect and absorb. Flash a torch and you will be able to see things. This is because there are wavelengths that objects can absorb and refract. Try flashing a red light on a white object. It will appear red. This is because; a white object absorbs all the seven colors to look white. Not just one. Flash blue light. What do you see?

Shilpa Shah

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