The science of rainbows
Welcome to our session on the science of rainbows! Before we dive into how these beautiful bands of light form in the sky, I'd love to know a little bit about you so I can make this session as fun and helpful as possible.
Could you tell me a little about your background with physics or optics? Also, is there any specific part of rainbows (like why they are arcs, or why they have colors) you are most curious about?
I'm just curious about everything! Let's start from the very beginning.
Your path
The Physics: Refraction and Reflection
Observer Perspective and Shape
Advanced Phenomena
The Rainbow Illusion
It is wonderful to have you here, and starting from the very beginning is the perfect way to unpack how this beauty works.
To start, we have to bust a major myth: a rainbow isn't actually a physical object. There is no physical "arch" floating in the sky that you can walk up to, stand under, or touch.
Instead, a rainbow is an —a trick of the light that is created entirely by how light interacts with water and your eyes. It only exists in the relationship between the sun, the water droplets, and you.