Sunlight seems to have no color, but it is actually comprised of a mixture of different wavelengths. When shone through a prism, the
beam
of light will be separated into its various wavelengths so that it looks like an a succession of different colors - the colors of the rainbow.
Color perception, based on the physical properties of light, is essentially a psychological process. Three characteristics determine the quality of color: hue, brightness and saturation. Our perception of the color of an object takes into account both the color of the object as we know it to be from past experience, and the color and intensity of the light. Colored light may alter our perception of the color of an object. Thus a red object under blue light may seem almost grey, and blues seem somewhat faded under yellow light. The hue, saturation and brightness of objects are also influenced by the objects or background surrounding them. |
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