answersLogoWhite

0

Rainbows are caused by light refracting off moisture drops in the air and the colors are caused by the fact different colors ( wavelengths) of light are refracted by different amounts.

A rainbow is caused by light being refracted from tiny water droplets in the air. When it rains or there is a mist all the tiny water droplets refract sunlight like a prism (a triangular piece of glass). Refracted means the light of the sun is split up into its basic colors. Sunlight is actually a combination of Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple. When these colors are all combined they look white, which is what sunlight usually looks like to us. There is also other light energy from the sun like Infrared which makes sunlight hot and Ultra Violet which makes you tan or sunburn. You can not see Infrared or Ultra Violet because the human eye is not designed to see them. But some creatures can.

To see a rainbow, there should be a little rain or moisture in the sky and the Sun should be shining behind you.

User Avatar

Wiki User

14y ago

What else can I help you with?

Related Questions

What part of the world do most rainbows occur?

Rainbows can occur anywhere around the world, but they are most commonly seen in tropical regions with frequent rain showers and sunlight, such as Hawaii or the Caribbean.


Are rainbows gases?

No, they aren't. Rainbows occur when lights go through rain droplets, like a prism.


How often do rainbows occur?

There is no set pattern to how often rainbows occur, however they occur when precipitation falls and there is sun at the same time. -- Rainbows only occur in the early morning and late afternoon. This is because of the angle of the sun reflects off the moisture in the air which acts like a prism.


How many rainbows occur every year in the UK?

The same amount of times you suck d1ck in a year, 365.


When during the day are rainbows most likely to occur?

Rainbows are most likely to occur in the late afternoon as the sun is low in the sky, and after a rain shower when the sun starts to come out. The sun's angle at this time allows the light to be refracted and reflected in the raindrops, creating a rainbow in the sky.


Do rainbows exist?

Yes, rainbows exist! They occur when sunlight is refracted, or bent, in water droplets in the air, splitting white light into its different colors. The result is a colorful arc that appears in the sky after a rain shower.


How are rainbows and dispersion the same?

Rainbows and dispersion are related because rainbows are a natural phenomena that occur when light is dispersed by water droplets in the atmosphere. Dispersion is the process where light is separated into its component colors due to differences in their wavelengths. Essentially, rainbows are formed due to dispersion of sunlight by water droplets in the air.


Are double rainbows rare?

Double rainbows are less common than single rainbows, but they are not extremely rare. Double rainbows occur when light is reflected twice within raindrops, creating a secondary arc outside the primary rainbow. The colors of the secondary rainbow are reversed compared to the primary rainbow.


Where do most rainbows occur?

Most rainbows occur in areas with frequent rain showers and sunlight, such as near coastlines or in tropical regions. They are formed when sunlight is refracted, reflected, and dispersed by water droplets in the atmosphere, creating the colorful spectrum of light we see in the sky.


Why do rainbows occur and what causes their vibrant colors to appear in the sky?

Rainbows occur when sunlight is refracted, or bent, and reflected inside raindrops, creating a spectrum of colors. The different colors appear due to the varying wavelengths of light being separated as they pass through the raindrops.


WHEN do rainbows mostly occur WHEN not where or how or why or what WHEN?

Rainbows mostly occur when sunlight is both refracted and reflected within raindrops in the atmosphere. This typically happens when there are rain showers with the sun shining from behind the observer.


Why do double rainbows occur?

Double rainbows occur when sunlight is reflected twice inside a raindrop, creating a secondary arc with the colors reversed. This phenomenon happens because the light undergoes two internal reflections instead of one, resulting in a secondary and fainter rainbow above the main one.