In-Depth Research

Colour and light

Certain colours of light are more reflected than other colours. White light (containing essentially all colours) falling on an object causes light of a particular colour to be reflected. Objects that reflect most of the light falling on them appear bright; objects that absorb most of the light and reflect little appear dark. An object that reflects no light at all would appear pitch black.Our eyes collect the light that falls upon them. They recognise colours, and essentially report to the brain a “map” of the colour and intensity of light that they receive from each direction. This is the information the brain uses to construct a picture of the world. For example, when you are standing in a classroom lighted up by lights and looking at a blue book, white light from the lights hits the book and is reflected in all directions. This is why the book is visible from any direction. Your eyes see blue light from a particular direction, and the brain interprets the shading and color as a book. In directions from which little light is coming, we see darkness or the colour black.

http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/earth-sun/6624