THE COLORS THAT MAKE UP WHITE - Most light that we interact with is in the form of white light, which contains many or all of these wavelength ranges. Shining white light through a prism causes the wavelengths to bend at slightly different angles due to optical refraction. The resulting light is split across the visible color spectrum. This is what causes a rainbow, with airborne water particles acting as the refractive medium. The order of wavelengths can be remembered by the mnemonic "Roy G. Biv" for red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo (the blue/violet border), and violet.

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The Colors That Make Up White Light

Visible Light Spectrum Overview and Chart

Understanding the Colors That Make Up White Light

by Andrew Zimmerman Jones

The visible light spectrum is the section of the electromagnetic radiation spectrum that is visible to the human eye.

Essentially, that equates to the colors the human eye can see.

It ranges in wavelength from approximately 400 nanometers (4 x 10 ^-7 m, which is violet) to 700 nm (7 x 10^-7 m, which is red).

It'is also known as the optical spectrum of light or the spectrum of white light.

Wavelength and Color Spectrum Chart

The wavelength of light, which is related to frequency and energy, determines the perceived color.

The ranges of these different colors are listed in the table below.

Some sources vary these ranges pretty drastically, and their boundaries are somewhat approximate, as they blend into each other.

The edges of the visible light spectrum blend into the ultraviolet and infrared levels of radiation.

The Visible Light Spectrum
Color	Wavelength (nm)
Red	625 - 740
Orange	590 - 625
Yellow	565 - 590
Green	520 - 565
Cyan	500 - 520
Blue	435 - 500
Violet	380 - 435

How White Light is Split Into a Rainbow

Most light that we interact with is in the form of white light, which contains many or all of these wavelength ranges.

Shining white light through a prism causes the wavelengths to bend at slightly different angles due to optical refraction. The resulting light is split across the visible color spectrum.

This is what causes a rainbow, with airborne water particles acting as the refractive medium. The order of wavelengths can be remembered by the mnemonic "Roy G. Biv" for red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo (the blue/violet border), and violet.

If you look closely at a rainbow or spectrum, you might notice that cyan also appears fairly distinctly, between green and blue.

Most people cannot distinguish indigo from blue or violet, so many color charts omit it.

By using special sources, refractors, and filters, you can get a narrow band of about 10 nanometers in wavelength that is considered monochromatic light.

Lasers are special because they are the most consistent source of narrowly monochromatic light that we can achieve.

Colors consisting of a single wavelength are called spectral colors or pure colors.

Colors Beyond the Visible Spectrum

The human eye and brain can distinguish many more colors than those of the spectrum.

Purple and magenta are the brain's way of bridging the gap between red and violet. Unsaturated colors, such as pink and aqua, are also distinguishable, as well as brown and tan.

However, some animals have a different visible range, often extending into the infrared range (wavelength greater than 700 nanometers) or ultraviolet (wavelength less than 380 nanometers).

For example, bees can see ultraviolet light, which is used by flowers to attract pollinators.

Birds also can see ultraviolet light and have markings visible under a black (ultraviolet) light.

Among humans, there is variation between how far into red and violet the eye can see.

Most animals that can see ultraviolet can't see infrared.

Andrew Zimmerman Jones

·     Academic researcher, educator, and writer with 23 years of experience in physical sciences

·     Works at Indiana Department of Education as senior assessment specialist in mathematics

·     Co-author of String Theory For Dummies

·     Member of the National Association of Science Writers

Experience

Andrew Zimmerman Jones is a former writer for ThoughtCo who contributed nearly 200 articles for more than 10 years. His topics ranged from the definition of energy to vector mathematics. Andrew is a dedicated educator; and he uses his background in the physical sciences, educational assessment, writing, and communications to advance that mission. 

Andrew is co-author of String Theory For Dummies, which discusses the basic concepts of this controversial approach. String theory tries to explain certain phenomena that are not currently explainable under the standard quantum physics model. 

Since 2018, Andrew has worked at the Indiana Department of Education as a senior assessment specialist in mathematics; prior to which he served as a senior assessment editor at CTB/McGraw Hill for 10 years. In addition, Andrew was a researcher at Indiana University's Cyclotron Facility. He is a member of the National Association of Science Writers. 

Education

Andrew Zimmerman Jones has a Master of Science (M.S.) in Mathematics Education from Indiana University–Purdue, Indianapolis, Ind.; and a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Physics from Wabash College, Crawfordsville, Ind. 

Awards and Publications

·   String Theory For Dummies (Wiley–For Dummies Series, 2009)

·   Graduated magna cum laude (Wabash College, 1999)

·   Harold Q. Fuller Prize in Physics (Wabash College, 1998)

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https://www.thoughtco.com/the-visible-light-spectrum-2699036