Light and Color
People have wondered about the nature of light and color since ancient times.
Some people thought that light came from the eye rather than coming into the eye.
To see,light was projected from our eyes to illuminate things as we look at them.
Now we know that what we see is mostly reflected light like the light from the moon which is reflected sunlight.
Light comes from a light source,such as the sun and either enters our eyes directly or after it has reflected off something.
In 1666,Sir Isaac Newton showed that when light passes through a prism,it separates into all the other colors.
This clearly demonstrated that light is composed of many different colors.
The difference between colors is due to their wavelength.
A prism separates light into different colors because each color has a different wavelength.
The angle at which a color bends in a prism depends on it's wavelength.
Colors with shorter wavelengths bend more than color woth longer wavelength.
This explains why red light bends less than yellow light.
The reason is because it's wavelength is longer.
Of the visible colors,violet light has the shortest wavelength so it bends the most.
(A prism separates light into it's component colors.)
(Each color is a single wavelength of light.)
If you have ever painted you know that different colors can be combined to create new colors.
For example,if you add white to a color you lighten it.
However,the three primary colors red,blue and yellow cannot be made by mixing other colors.
It isn't possible to mix any combination of colors to create red,blue or yellow.
Mixing two primary colors creates a secondary color such as purple,which is made by mixing blue and red.
Mixing three primary colors creates a tertiary color such as brown or gray.
(Purple is made by mixing blue and red.)
Color's Effect
Colors are wonderful to look at but they also affect people in ways besides sight.
They have a powerful effect on how people feel and hehave.
Artists know this and so do business people who want to influence how people feel about their products and advertisements.
For example,research has shown that people can be more productive if they are working in a blue room.
The color purple is often linked to wealth and royalty and is seen as a mysterious,spiritual color.
Some colors have even been associated with changes in blood pressure.
Though color can influence how we feel and act these effects may depend on personal and cultural factors.
Therefore,it's important not to believe everthing you hear about the effects of color.
(Different colors can be combined to form other colors.)
Though there are differences between cultures,there is a general agreement about some colors.
The color red,for example is a warm color associated with energy and excitement in many cultures.
In China,red is associated with fire,energy and good fortune.
On the other hand,one experiment show that exposing students to red before taking a test can have a negative affect.
In fact,of all colors,research shows that red has the most powerful effect on human behavior.
Certainly,it's interesting and important to better understand the psychological effects of light and color.
To gain a better understanding of these effects,more research is needed.
