question about rainbows?

Question

Why are rainbows always curved?

Answer 1

because the point sorce, being defracted is a shericial ball shape. refracted an the specific angle of the sun. and the human eye is a point sorce detector so that no matter where you observe it from it is always a hemisphereicial or circular object. hence: observed as rainbows around the moon or sun, in the right atmoshperic conditions. as rainbows seen above clouds generaly arc in the opposite happy face direction. being above the plane of refraction.

Answer 2

All rainbows actually form the shape of a circle, if they could be seen all at once. This is because a rainbow is formed when light refracts through the water droplets. Since the light in this case comes from the sun, the rainbow is always opposite the sun's position. That's why rainbows appear to be higher or lower in the sky.

Answer 3

It's due to the shape of the raindrop (which is almost exactly spherical, not the classic raindrop share people normally think of) and how the light is refracted by that shape.

If water is sprayed on a sunny day from a hight point, perhaps a fire hose from a fire engine ladder, and is viewed from above, a circular rainbow will be seen.

However if a straight edged prism is used to split a beam of sunlight, the 'rainbow' will be straight. Think about science class demonstrations and/or the cover of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon.

Answer 4

Because of the way the light is refracted through the drop of water. See http://eo.ucar.edu/rainbows/?printer

Answer 5

Because the right refraction angle forms a cone with the origin in your eyes.
If you move and change your point of view, the arc will move with you.
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Answer 6

I guess its just because of the way the light is reflected...