Naked Science Forum

General Science => General Science => Topic started by: Gregorian on 02/06/2009 01:20:01

Title: Double rainbow colors reversed?
Post by: Gregorian on 02/06/2009 01:20:01

Hi
Why is it that when you see a double rainbow the colors of the higher one are reversed?

Title: Double rainbow colors reversed?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 02/06/2009 06:18:43

Two Rainbows....but the second one's colours are reversed....why ? (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=11533.0)

Title: Double rainbow colors reversed?
Post by: lyner on 02/06/2009 22:33:13

There are many links about this -here's one http://www.phy.cuhk.edu.hk/phyworld/iq/rainbow/rainbow_e.html (http://www.phy.cuhk.edu.hk/phyworld/iq/rainbow/rainbow_e.html)

The reason for the colour reversal in a secondary rainbow is that the light is internally reflected one extra time inside the raindrops. This means that the blue light is bent more than the red - unlike in the primary bow when the red is bent more than the blue. Look at the pics in the link if my garbled explanation is inadequate.