How Rainbows Are Formed Explanation and Answer Key

To observe a spectrum of colors in the sky, sunlight must pass through droplets of water, bending and reflecting in a specific way. When light enters a water droplet, it bends or refracts at an angle, slowing down as it moves from air into the denser water. This bending of light causes it to split into its constituent colors.

Each color of light has a unique wavelength, and as it refracts, it travels at slightly different angles. Shorter wavelengths like violet and blue bend more than longer wavelengths such as red and orange. After bending, the light reflects off the inside surface of the droplet, and as it exits, it bends again, creating the distinct arc of colors we observe.

This sequence of refraction, reflection, and refraction again is the process behind the colorful arcs we see. The specific angle at which the light exits determines the pattern, typically forming a semi-circular shape with each color arranged in a specific order from red on the outside to violet on the inside.