Curiosity of colors!

[astrogirl15]

Ok, so I was thinking. Each element in the universe seems to have a color related to it. I'm sure this is either incorrect, or there are exceptions.

 

Basicly, I would like to know How a specific color portreys itself.

 

I am under the understanding that Color is measures in wavelengths, yes?

 

This means that one color would have the wave lengths closer together then another. This is how we differentiate, correct?

 

So how is it that the reflection off an item, reflects the color of that item? Does the reflection slow the light or something? Ummm, maybe it soaks up some of the energy emitted from the light, leaving a slower wave length?

 

There has to be some logical explantion, and I think this would be very good puzzle peice that I can put into my brain of "my understanding of the universe".

 

P.S. I know that I cant completely finish the puzzle, but i'd like to get as much done as I can before my time is up!

[Mr Skeptic]

Ok, so I was thinking. Each element in the universe seems to have a color related to it. I'm sure this is either incorrect, or there are exceptions.

 

Incorrect. Each element does have a unique absorption/emission spectrum as a plasma, but you would only see this with scientific equipment. However, color that you see is more related to molecules than to elements. Eg carbon can be black/dull amorphous carbon, dark gray/shiny graphite, or clear diamond. Phosphorous can be likewise be red, white, or yellow.

 

Basicly, I would like to know How a specific color portreys itself.

 

I am under the understanding that Color is measures in wavelengths, yes?

 

This means that one color would have the wave lengths closer together then another. This is how we differentiate, correct?

 

Pretty much

 

So how is it that the reflection off an item, reflects the color of that item? Does the reflection slow the light or something? Ummm, maybe it soaks up some of the energy emitted from the light, leaving a slower wave length?

 

There has to be some logical explantion, and I think this would be very good puzzle peice that I can put into my brain of "my understanding of the universe".

 

P.S. I know that I cant completely finish the puzzle, but i'd like to get as much done as I can before my time is up!

 

White light is made of every color in the spectrum, and colored pigments absorb all but some colors. Keep in mind also that we have detectors for three different colors (our red, green, and blue cone cells), and we interpret mixtures of colors as a single color.

[hermanntrude]

for further reading you might like to look at the following pages:

 

wikipedia: colour

 

wikipedia: emission spectroscopy

[jian]

Color is the wavelength of electromagnetic waves that recieved by our eyes and brain. Normally only refers to the visible light range.

 

The color of the object is dependent on the optical properties of the object.

When the object does not emit light, its color depents the light it absorbed, refected and transmitted through it.

 

For transpant objects, its color is determined by the color of light that pass through the object. An example is that the blue glass only let the blue light go through.

 

The color of an opaque object is determined by the color of that it reflects. A yellow paper absorbs all the light except the yellow light. When the reflected yellow light is detected by our eyes, it appears yellow.

 

However, color is always subjective in terms of senses, it is qualitative. Also it is not really a property of a system.

[astrogirl15]

Is the light obsorbed then, used as energy to energize the molecule?

[jian]

Is the light obsorbed then, used as energy to energize the molecule?

 

That is right, and the absorption is not only happen in the matter consist of molecules,also in the atomic and ionic substances.

 

In another way, lights are also particles which are called photons. They contains energy determined by the frequency(which determines the color of light) of the light. In a matter, electrons have many discrete energy levers. When the energy of the photon is just equal to the energy difference of two energy levels or higher than the ionization energy, the photon will be absorded and the electron will be excited to higher state. This is the process of absorption of light.

 

There is also a re-emission process which refers to that the excited state jump back to lower energy state and give off the energy in the form of photons. Macroscopically, it is lookes as reflection.

 

The unabsorbed photons just travel though the materials and form the transmitted light.

 

These are the qualitative description of the interaction between matter snd light.

[vedmecum]

dear jian , ionisation means removal of e- from atom this result in formation of ion , but the color is due to the excitation of e- from one energy level to another.

 

and u are relating color to intensity of photon which is against both KIRCHOFF'S and Plank hypothesis. colour depends on frequency(wavelenth) of incident light.

 

when light strikes on surface , atom or molecules or any other absorb some part of light of characteristic frequency(Kirchoff's law) and transmit other . absorbed light excite e- to higher energy state, and when e- comes back it emit that light .