How do rainbows form?
How Are Rainbows Formed
Rainbows form through a combination of reflection, refraction, and dispersion of light. Here’s how the process works:
Sunlight: Rainbows typically occur when sunlight shines after a rain shower, where water droplets are present in the atmosphere.
Refraction: As sunlight enters a raindrop, it slows down and bends (refracts) due to the change in medium from air to water.
Dispersion: The light is made up of different colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet). Each color bends at a slightly different angle, causing the light to spread out into its component colors.
Reflection: The light reflects off the inside surface of the raindrop.
Refraction Again: As the light exits the raindrop, it refracts again, bending more as it moves from water back into the air.
Viewing Angle: For a rainbow to be seen, the observer must be positioned with their back to the sun and facing the area filled with raindrops. The angle of sunlight and the observer’s position create a circular arc of colors.
This beautiful phenomenon results in the vibrant spectrum we see as a rainbow.
– Written By Amrapali Niungare
