ClassX Video Lessons The Science of Light and Color for Kids: Rainbows and the Electromagnetic Spectrum
Light is a super important part of our lives, but have you ever wondered what it really is or how it helps us see colors? Let’s dive into the world of light and discover how it works and why it’s so important for us to see the world around us.
Light is a type of energy that travels in waves. It is created when things get hot or gain energy, releasing extra energy as light. This process is called electromagnetic radiation. When we talk about light, we usually mean visible light, which is the part of the electromagnetic spectrum that our eyes can see.
The electromagnetic spectrum includes all kinds of electromagnetic radiation, both visible and invisible. Besides visible light, it also includes radio waves, microwaves, x-rays, and gamma rays. Scientists use special tools to detect and study these invisible types of radiation.
All electromagnetic radiation travels in waves, but the waves can be different lengths. The length of the wave is called the wavelength. Longer wavelengths, like radio waves, have less energy, while shorter wavelengths, like gamma rays, have more energy.
Visible light is just a small part of the electromagnetic spectrum, but it includes all the colors we can see. The Sun is our main source of light on Earth, and what we call “ordinary sunlight” is actually white light. White light contains all the colors of the visible spectrum.
When white light passes through a prism, it bends and spreads out into different colors. This is how we see rainbows in the sky when sunlight is bent by raindrops.
Rainbows are usually described as having seven colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Each color has a specific wavelength, with red having the longest wavelength and violet the shortest. The colors always appear in the same order because of their wavelengths, with red on the outside and violet on the inside.
There are types of light that we can’t see with our eyes. Light with wavelengths longer than red is called infrared light, and light with shorter wavelengths than violet is called ultraviolet light. Even though we can’t see them, these types of light are important for many scientific and practical uses.
When we look at something, we see the light that bounces off it. For example, a green leaf looks green because it absorbs all colors except green, which it reflects. Our brains understand this reflected green light, so we see the color green. White objects reflect almost all light, while black objects absorb almost all light.
Light, both visible and invisible, is all around us and travels in waves, carrying energy that helps us see the world. Without light, we wouldn’t see colors, and our world would look very different. Next time you look around, remember that everything you see is because of different wavelengths of light reflecting off objects.
Color Hunt: Go on a color hunt around your home or classroom. Find objects that match each color of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Arrange them in order and discuss why they appear in that order in a rainbow. Think about how light is reflecting off these objects to show their colors.
Prism Experiment: If you have a prism or a glass of water, try to create your own rainbow. Shine a flashlight through the prism or glass and observe how the light bends and separates into different colors. Talk about how this is similar to how rainbows form in the sky.
Invisible Light Exploration: Use a remote control to change the channel on a TV or turn on a device. Explain that the remote uses infrared light, which we can’t see, to send signals. Discuss other examples of invisible light in everyday life, like how sunscreen protects us from ultraviolet light.
