Student Name Emily Nivens

Course
Physics
Lab 8- Light and Color
This lab will introduce you to Light and Color, as well as have you explore the nature of
light in relation to color.
For this lab follow the instructions below and answer the questions. Please make sure
that you give as much detail as possible in your final assignment.
Access: Click on Light & Radiation. Launch the Color Vision Simulation.

Part I Use the RGB Bulbs Tab

Each light has a color gradient. For the best results, slide the bar to the very top of each
color. Each color should be observed individually for this first part. To stop the color,
return the bar to the black location. a) What color is seen when the red light is on?Red
b) What color is seen when the green light is on? Green c) What color is seen when
the blue light is on? Blue

For the next part we will investigate the effects of mixing two colors. Before you begin
each part be sure to make a hypothesis.
a) What color do you think the man will see
when red and green are mixed together?Brown
b) Turn on the red and green, both
to the very top of the color scale. What does the man actually see?Yellow
c) Experiment with the degree of color. While doing this, make sure that both
colors are in equal locations on
the scale. What colors are observed? Do
they still fit into the same color family as the color observed in b?
I put the red and blue together, but only halfway up the scale. The man sees a
dark, faded yellow. They fit into the same color family.

Keep the red light on (to the top red location), and turn off the green. We will be looking
at red and blue next. a) What color do you think the man will see when red and blue
are mixed together?Purple b) Turn on the red and blue, both to the very top of the color
scale. What does the man actually see?Pinkish-purple.
c) Experiment with the
degree of color. While doing this, make sure that both colors are in equal locations on
the scale. What colors are observed? Do they still fit into the same color family as the
color observed in b?I put the red and blue together, only halfway up the color scale.
The man sees a darker, more faded version of the same pinkish-purple.
Keep the blue light on (to the top blue location), and turn off the red. We will be looking
at green and blue next.
a) What color do you think the man will see when green
and blue are mixed together?Aqua b) Turn on the green and blue, both to the very top
of the color scale. What does the man actually see?Aqua c) Experiment with the
degree of color. While doing this, make sure that both colors are in equal locations on
the scale. What colors are observed? Do they still fit into the same color family as the
color observed in b?
I put green and blue on halfway up the color scale. The man sees a darker,
more faded version of the aqua.

Now we will be looking at mixing all three colors.

What color do you think the man will see when red, green and blue are all mixed
together? White
Turn on all three colors, all to the very top of the color scale. What does the man actually
see? White

Fill in the color diagram below. Provide the appropriate colors that you observed when
each was mixed. You may use colored pencils if you wish.
RED
BLUEPURPLE
GREEN
RED

Yellow

BLUE
GREENAQUA

Part II Use the Single Bulb Tab

Set the simulation to the following: bulb type white, beam photons, and filter
color off. a) What is coming out of the bulb? b) What color light does the man
see?
Set the simulation to the following: bulb type white, beam solid, and filter color
off.
a) What is coming out of the bulb? b) What color light does the man
see? White
Set the simulation to the following: bulb type white, beam photons, and filter
color on. a) Choose any filter color. Record the color
______Blue______________.
b) What is coming out of the bulb before the filter
(in the area just in front of the filter)? Photons of all different colors.
c) What is
coming out after the filter?Only blue photos
d) What color light does the man
see?Blue
e) Choose another filter color. Record the color
__________Red___________.
f) Repeat questions b-d (above)B. Photons of all
different colors. C. Only red photons. D. Red. Please record your observations as you
answer the questions. g) What is the filter doing?
The filter is making the photons mimic its color.
Set the simulation to the following: bulb type white, beam solid, and filter color
on. a) Choose any filter color. Record the color _________Green___________.
Repeat questions b-d (from question 3
on the last page). Please record your
observations as you answer the questions.B. A white beam of light C. A green beam of
light D. Green
b) Choose another filter color. Record the color

_______Orange_____________. Repeat questions b-d (from question

3 on the
last page). B. A white beam if light C. An orange beam of light D. Orange. Please
record your observations as you answer the questions.
c) What are the differences
between question 3 (photon setting) and question 4 (solid setting)?The photon setting
shows individual photons of different colors that are seen through the eye as white
light. The solid setting shows only the white light.
d) What are the similarities
between question 3 (photon setting) and question 4 (solid setting)? They are both the
same light, the photon setting only shows the photons while the solid setting shows
light as seen to the eye.

Set the simulation to the following: bulb type monochromatic, beam solid, and
filter color on.
a) Select a bulb color and a filter color that are different. Record
the colors chosen below. What does the man
see?
Bulb Color:
__________Yellow___________
Filter Color:
_________Blue____________
Color seen by
the man: Black
b) Select a bulb color and a filter color that are the same. Record
the colors chosen below. What does the man
see?
Bulb Color:
_________Red____________
Filter Color:
________Red_____________
Color seen by
the man: Red
c) What is the filter doing? It does not change the color
because they are the same.
In this activity light was represented in 2 ways as a photon or as a solid. What
explanation can you provide for the nature of light?
The photons come together to make light as the eye sees it, like many small
snowflakes make a snowman.