Why do we see different colors when we look at a CD?

Answer 1

The CD acts in a similar manner as a prism and splits the light into it's component parts. Visible light is actually made up of several colors (The colors of the rainbow: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet) and if the light is refracted it can split and you can see all the colors of the light spectrum.

Answer 2

Actually, there are tiny holes in a CD track which are created by lasers for storing data on them. when light falls on the surface of a CD some light is reflected by the normal surface of the CD but some of the light rays are reflected from the holes. Thus the rays which fall on to the surface of the holes have to travel a little distance more than the rays falling on the normal CD surface which creates a wavelength difference between the two type of light rays and this produces diffraction thus we can see all those colours on the CD surface.

Answer 3

Diffraction comes into play here. The surface of CD is uneven if u keep in mind that wavelenth of light is measured in angstroms. Now this roughness creates path difference in the length of various light ays i.e. they have to travel different lengths. now these rays after reflecting back have destructive interference for some colurs and constructive interference for others depending on the path difference being an even or odd multiple of the wave length of the colour. so different colours are obsereved at different spots. this is similar to colours observed on oil slicks.

Answer 4

This is just a hunch, but I think when the light hits the reflective surface of the CD, the surface is actually "breaking up" (diffraction) the light (sorta like a prism). I think that's why we see all those cool colors.

Answer 5

Light (made up of seven different colours ) is diffracted into the individual colours by the extremely fine gratings which record the data on a CD.

Answer 6

If you really want to get into the whole diffraction stuff then you need to think about phasors adding up to 0 for some frequencies (no light) and to stronger amplitudes for the frequencies you see at that angle

Answer 7

CDs will refract light at different angles and different wavelengths therefore giving you a rainbow in your hand

Answer 8

Yeah, it's because of reflection & I think the reason is that CDs are burn by LASER. LASER causes this shining surface under light.

Answer 9

Its the same colors we see in every other human being. Cross-Dressers can be of any color.

Answer 10

reflection