That question always bothers me
2006-10-29 01:30:46 · 22 answers · asked by don't stop the music ♪ 6 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Weather
A rainbow is light refracted twice and reflected once in raindrops (at least the primary bow is). The angle at which the lights rays are reflected back is fixed by the refractive index of the water, but the refractive index and hence the angle varies a bit with wavelength (ie colour) which is why you see the colours. Because that angle is fixed, the rainbow always looks the same size to you in the sky, but it actually occupies a thin cone (like an ice cream cone)starting with the pointy end just in front of you and going off as far as there are raindrops - the crunchy bit is the rainbow. So it is not really far away in the distance, but starts where you are (provided it is raining where you are!) and goes on as far as it is raining. Normally you only see a half bow because the ground gets in the way (it doesn't rain under ground) and the sun is up in the sky, so the axis of the cone is angled downwards. For this reason the best time to see rainbows is morning and evening, when the sun is low. If you are up in an aeroplane at this time of day and you are very lucky you may see a rainbow that is a complete circle, because the sun is low and there is no ground to get in the way.
If you walk "through" a rainbow you just get wet.
2006-10-29 01:58:54 · answer #1 · answered by Martin 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You cannot approach a rainbow. A rainbow is sunlight being refracted by moisture in the air. Therefore, it only exists as light hitting your eyes.
For example, let's say you had the power to fly like Superman. One day you see a rainbow. You race straight towards it through the air. Before you even got close to where you thought it should be it would disappear. This is because by going towards the rainbow you are seeing, you are actually reducing the amount of moisture in the air between you and it.
If there isn't enough moisture in the air to create a rainbow, then there won't be one to see.
2006-10-29 09:35:25 · answer #2 · answered by Ciaoenrico 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A rainbow is just light and water so you might get wet a little. But I think that rainbows can never exist near ground level because they are not enough water droplets in the air and there might be somehting blocking the light (trees etc). If you ever find a rainbow at eye level tell me where and when.
2006-10-29 09:36:05 · answer #3 · answered by ZZ 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have been at the end of a rainbow several times and there is definitely no pot of gold. Nothing happens when you walk through it as it is just deflected light. When you go through where the light appears to be a different colour, the light is just the same there is no difference. Funnily enough we were on the M4 Motorway travelling towards Newport, Gwent when we past through one, it was quite disappointing.
2006-10-30 04:43:41 · answer #4 · answered by patsy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You may get wet. A rainbow as we see it is the reflection of sunlight on water droplets in the air. Everything has to be in perfect unison to get the results. Angle of light etc. Ever see a rainbow when looking at water spray through a sprinkler? Same thing.
2006-10-29 09:37:37 · answer #5 · answered by Rox 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First of all a rainbow is a trick of the light and as you walk towards it, it always stays ahead of you. (Oh, the hours I tried to get to the end of a rainbow as a child living in the countryside!!). Also, if you were to get to the end of a rainbow you'd stumble over the pot of gold that is supposed to exist there!!
2006-10-29 09:44:43 · answer #6 · answered by avian 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No.
Rainbows dont actually exist and are an optical illusion caused by splitting of light by water droplets.
The simple answer is that to see a rainbow there needs to be water droplets and bright light. If there are no droplets between you and the rainbow then there is no rainbow.
2006-10-29 09:35:52 · answer #7 · answered by Paul S 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You might not be able to walk into/through a rainbow but you could walk into a pot of gold, which would be great so keep trying!!
2006-10-29 11:16:07 · answer #8 · answered by kayleigh e 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A rainbow is the sun shining on a water particles about the size of mist. So, if you walked through it, you would get slightly refreshed.
2006-10-29 09:32:56 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
the rainbow is a optical effect , made by the angle of the sun light , and the rain , if you are able to walk on it may be is cuz you have smoked too much weed
2006-10-29 09:34:48 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋