Science Struck
Science Struck: Color Spectrum Chart With Frequencies and Wavelengths
Read about the visible light spectrum and learn the frequencies and wavelengths for each of the primary and secondary colors.
Utah Education Network
Uen: I'll Build You a Rainbow
In these three activities, students explore the colors of the spectrum in white light.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12 Exploration Series: Simulations: Physics: Light Wave
[Free Registration/Login Required] Are there colors we don't see? This simulation addresses that question by exploring light as an electromagnetic wave. Learn how the electromagnetic wave relates its wavelength and frequency to the...
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Chemistry Simulation: Neon Lights
[Free Registration/Login Required] Neon lights are a type of discharge tube. Observe how electrons create colored light in a hydrogen gas discharge tube. Can you figure out why hydrogen's emission spectrum contains more than one color of...
Physics Aviary
Physics Aviary: Em Spectrum Lab
This lab is designed to allow students to look at the factors affecting the location of different colors formed by diffraction grating.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: The Energy of Light
In this introduction to light energy, students learn about reflection and refraction as they learn that light travels in wave form. Through hands-on activities, they see how prisms, magnifying glasses and polarized lenses work. They also...
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Absorption of Radiant Energy by Different Colors
In this science fair project, use an infrared thermometer to measure the temperature of differently colored paper exposed to sunlight, and calculate energy emission using the Stefan-Boltzmann equation. Find discussion questions, a list...
Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Color
This site from Georgia State University discusses the location of visible light on the electromagnetic spectrum. Includes the wavelength values for various colors of light within the visible light spectrum.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Rgb to Hex Conversion
Students practice converting between RGB and hexadecimal (hex) formats. They learn about mixing primary colors in order to get the full spectrum of colors and how to average pixel values.
University of Colorado
University of Colorado: Physics 2000: Temperature and Absolute Zero
A thorough, multipage discussion of color and color television sets that explains how an image is formed on the television using red, green, and blue light. Understandable discussion, excellent graphics, and many interactive Java applets.
Science4Fun
Science4 Fun: Light
What is light? Illustrated discussion of the speed of light, how we see colors, and how light helps us.
Optical Society
Optical Society of America: Optics for Kids: Release the Rainbow
A simple activity to demonstrate how light separates into colors when it passes through water acting as a prism.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Mn Step: Why Is the Sky Blue?
Students will learn about refraction and the scattering of sunlight as it enters the atmosphere, which causes the colors in light to separate, giving us blue skies and colorful sunrises and sunsets.
NumberNut
Number Nut: Light and Colors
Discover the relationship between light and colors in this brief lesson. Links to related color identification activities, Color Memory Challenge and Identifying Colors Quiz. Immediate feedback given to responses that includes...
NumberNut
Number Nut: Basic Topics: Shapes, Symbols, and Colors: Colors
A short explanation of how we see color and what each of the primary and secondary colors symbolize.
NASA
Nasa: The Space Place: Why Is the Sky Blue?
Learn about colors of light by exploring how prisms work. Discover the different colors of the spectrum and how the visible light is what we see.
BioEd Online
Bio Ed Online: Rainbow in the Room
Students investigate the properties of visible light and the sequence of colors in the spectrum using light shone through water and prisms. The lesson plan and accompanying slideshow can both be downloaded.
Utah Education Network
Uen: Enlightening Explorations, Part Iii
This lesson contains the following labs: Rainbows, Refraction with Prisms, and What Color Is It? Students will study light by reading various nonfiction texts and viewing a video lesson. Then students will engage in the following labs:...
Science Struck
Science Struck: Visible Color Spectrum Wheel
A brief explanation of the visible color wheel.
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: What Is Color?
Colm Kelleher describes the physics behind colors- why the colors we see are related to the period of motion and the frequency of waves. [3:09]
Center of Science and Industry
Cosi Columbus: Coffee Filter Rainbows
Science experiment that demonstrates chromotography. Includes full list of materials, procedures, and scientific explanation of what happens with different colors when they are soaked with water.
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Ucar: About Rainbows
This site from the University Corporation of Atmospheric Research provides an illustrated article about the phenomenon of rainbows.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: How to Build a Spectroscope
Instructions for how to construct a spectroscope from basic materials, which can be used to study colors produced by light from different sources. Adult supervision may be required for the use of the utility knife. Includes an...
Curated OER
Georgia State University: Color
This site from Georgia State University discusses the location of visible light on the electromagnetic spectrum. Includes the wavelength values for various colors of light within the visible light spectrum.