2006-09-20 08:15:09 · 5 answers · asked by danny r 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Weather
The spectrum is separated by the water droplets, just as with a prism.
2006-09-20 08:17:28 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Disperse of different bands of light.
When sunlight falls on individual drops of moisture, the rays undergo two refractions (upon ingress and egress) and one reflection (at the back of the drop) before transmission into the eye of the observer.
http://www.sundog.clara.co.uk/rainbows/supers.htm
Wiki:
In optics, refraction occurs when light waves travel from a medium with a given refractive index to a medium with another. At the boundary between the media, the wave's phase velocity is altered, it changes direction, and its wavelength increases or decreases but its frequency remains constant. For example, a light ray will refract as it enters and leaves glass; understanding of this concept led to the invention of lenses and the refracting telescope.
2006-09-20 15:18:24 · answer #2 · answered by · 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
When sunlight is refracted through drops of water in the air, the light is divided into its different colors and these colors are what forms the rainbow you see.
2006-09-20 15:24:01 · answer #3 · answered by jetfighter 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Refraction is the bending of light when light goes from one material to another.
For example, when you stand at the edge of a lake and look down at fish in the water, the fish appears to be in a different place than it actually is because light bends when going between air and water.
2006-09-20 15:19:10 · answer #4 · answered by mollyneville 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's when light passes from optically tansparent material to another, that is different. In rainbows it is from air to water, and then from water to air again.
DAS
2006-09-20 22:21:50 · answer #5 · answered by Dome Slug 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋