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Questions and Answers
What primarily causes the formation of a rainbow?
What primarily causes the formation of a rainbow?
- Reflection of sunlight in water droplets (correct)
- Absorption of light by clouds
- Refraction of light through a prism
- Scattering of light in the atmosphere
In which order does light undergo processes to create a rainbow?
In which order does light undergo processes to create a rainbow?
- Reflection, refraction, scattering
- Refraction, absorption, reflection
- Absorption, reflection, refraction
- Refraction, reflection, dispersion (correct)
What colors are typically visible in a rainbow?
What colors are typically visible in a rainbow?
- Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet (correct)
- Red, green, blue, yellow, purple
- Green, purple, pink, orange
- Blue, yellow, red, grey
Under what circumstances is a rainbow most likely to appear?
Under what circumstances is a rainbow most likely to appear?
Which of the following statements about the formation of a double rainbow is true?
Which of the following statements about the formation of a double rainbow is true?
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Study Notes
How Rainbows Form
- Rainbows are formed when sunlight interacts with water droplets in the air.
- Sunlight is composed of different colors, each with a different wavelength.
- When light passes through a water droplet, it is refracted, meaning it bends.
- The different colors of light are refracted at different angles, causing them to separate.
- As the light exits the water droplet, it is reflected internally and then refracted again, causing the colors to be further separated and dispersed.
Rainbow Formation Order
- Refraction of sunlight through a water droplet
- Internal reflection within the droplet
- Second refraction of light as it exits the droplet
Rainbow Colors
- Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet - ROYGBIV
When Rainbows Appear
- Rainbows are most likely to appear after a rain shower when there are still water droplets in the atmosphere.
- The sun must be shining at a low angle in the sky, typically between 40° and 42°.
- The observer must be positioned with their back to the sun and facing the rain.
Double Rainbows
- A double rainbow appears when sunlight is reflected internally twice within the water droplet.
- The colors in the secondary rainbow appear in reverse order (violet on top, red on bottom).
- The secondary rainbow is fainter than the primary rainbow as more light is lost during the second reflection.
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