Chapter U5.113, Problem 2E

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

The reason due to which colors can be seen needs to be explained.

Concept introduction:

Humans can see color due to interaction between emitted and reflected light by an object and eye. The emitted or reflected light waves by an object enter the eye and passed the cornea of the eye where refraction of light takes place. The refracted light again undergoes refraction when it is passed through the transparent lens. This lens focuses the light waves on the retina where image of the object is formed.

Explanation of Solution

The object absorbs certain wavelength or frequency of light and reflects light with different wavelength.

The frequency of light absorbs by an object will not be reflected by it thus, the observed color will not be in that frequency range.

If an object reflects all the colors of the light, it will appear white and if it absorbs all the colors, it will appear black.

The observed light is always complementary to the color of the light absorbed by it.

For example, from the color wheel, the color of light complementary to red is green. Thus, if an object absorbs in the wavelength range of 480-560 nm which is for green color thus, the wavelength of red light that is 640-700 nm is transmitted by the object. Therefore, the object appears red in color.