Types of Visible Light

You may have learned the acronym “Roy G. Biv” to remember the order of the colors of the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum. These different colors correspond to different wavelengths and energies, with red light having the lowest energy and the longest wavelengths and violet light having the highest energy and the shortest wavelengths.

White light is composed of all colors (wavelengths) of visible light. White light passing through a prism is spread out into the different colors (wavelengths) of light.

visible spectrum image with labeled colors, violet to red — Visible light colors arranged in order of wavelengths from the shortest (violet) to the longest (red). Credit: Rubin Observatory/NSF/AURA

Interaction

Select a filter from the dropdown menu and observe the effect that filter has on the light coming out of the prism.

Types of Visible Light

Interaction

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Types of Visible Light

Interaction

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