Properties of Light and its Absorption, Reflection, and

Transmission
to Form the Colors of Objects
1
College of Science, University of the Philippines

Visible light is an electromagnetic wave that travels through a vacuum. The range of the wavelength of a
light is from 400 nm to 700 nm. The wavelength of the light is inversely proportional to its frequency. The
frequency of a light wave determines the color of the wave as can be observed in a spectrum wherein the
frequency is higher at the violet end and lower at the red end. Monochromatic light such as red, orange, yellow,
green, blue and violet have only one frequency. On the other hand, polychromatic light such as white have
multiple frequencies.
This experiment aimed to separate the natural components of white light through refraction.
Set-up 1 and 2 below was followed for the first part of the experiment.

Set-up 1
Set-up 2
A single light ray was allowed to pass through the center of the ray table, the table was slowly rotated
to increase the angle of the light ray. The color separation was observed. The next part of the experiment
followed set-up 2, where the cylindrical lens were arranged in a way that the 3 central light rays intersect at one
point on the ray table.
Lastly, set-up 3 was followed. The transmitted and reflected rays were observed. Then, the red filter was
placed behind the green filter. After the transmitted and reflected rays were observed, the blue filter
waspositioned over the light source aperture. The blue rays were allowed to pass through the green filter and
the reflected rays were observed.

Set-up 3
The Colors of Light
Through the efforts of Sir Isaac Newton, he was able to produce a series of colors from the refraction of
white light. This was done using a narrow beam of sunlight into a darkened room. When he placed a triangular
glass prism in the beam, the light falling on a normally white light screen appeared as series of colors. Now, the
procedure performed by Newton was repeated at great precision by the use of advanced technological
equipments and results are what follow.
Color

Angle

Red
Orange
Yellow
Green
Blue
Indigo
Violet

10o
12o
15o
18o
20o
25o
40o

Figure 1. Series of colors from the refraction of white light at 40o angle.

Colors such as red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet are observed to be derived from the
refraction of white light. And it was evident that as the white light passing through the prism is gradually bent
away from its original direction, each of the observed colors also appears gradually beginning from the red color
until the violet color. This means that different colors are bent through different angles. As observed, it was the
red color which is bent least; then, in order, orange, yellow, green, blue indigo, and violet. This is so because of
the different wavelengths of the refracted light.
All wavelengths are present in white light- that is its spectrum forms a continuous and unbroken spread of
color. But the wavelengths can be dispersed by the use of the cylindrical lens acting as prisms. As the light
disperses, wavelengths are sent off in different directions and therefore producing the series of colors.

Figure 2. Mixing colored light.

In prove of Newtons Theory that various colors are the natural constituents of white light, a second prism is
used to bend the colored rays (red, blue, and green) until these three colors intersects at one point. The point of
intersection is also the point of recombination and it was observed that when the rays are recombined, they
produced a white light.
The Colors of Objects
The second part of the experiment involved the colors of objects. When a light wave with a single
frequency hits an object, it could be absorbed where the energy is converted to heat, reflected, or transmitted by
the object. Reflection happens when the electrons vibrate for a short period of time and then reemit the energy
as a reflected light wave. On the other hand, transmission happens when the vibrations are passed to neighboring
atoms through the bulk of the material and reemitted on the opposite side of the object. A filter is a transparent
object that absorbs some colors and allows other colors to pass through it. In this case, by using the green filter
and allowing light to pass through it, the formed reflected rays were white whereas the formed transmitted rays
were green. When the red filter was placed behind the green filter such as the light passes first through the green
and then next to the red, the light passing through the green filter produced no reflected ray but it produced
green transmitted rays. However, when the light passes through the red filter, it produced green reflected rays
and red transmitted rays.
The next part is when the blue filter was placed over the light source to create blue incident light rays.
Passing this light through the green filter only, the transmitted light rays were blue while the reflected rays were
white. The green filter will let through only green and absorb all other colors. So when the blue light is allowed
to pass the green filter, the blue will be absorbed and no light will be reflected. This is because the colors
perceived by the eyes are dependent on the colors absorbed and reflected by the object. A green object for
example appear as such because all colors are absorbed by the object except the color green.
In conclusion, white light can be broken down into its constitutive components via the refraction of the light.
With the help of cylindrical lens acting as a prism, the light was bended at different angles, therefore, producing
series of colors occurring at different frequencies. Conversely, when different colors were combined, white light
was produced. Thus, proving Newtons theory. Furthermore, this exercise shows the property of light when it
hits an objectit may be absorbed, reflected, or transmitted depending on the nature of the vibrations of the light
wave. Also, the colors perceived by the eyes are dependent upon the colors absorbed and reflected by the object.
References
1. Giancoli, D. (2007). Physics: Principles with Applications. 6th edition. USA: Pearson
Education, Inc
2. Rush, J. H. (1999). Color. From The New Book of Popular Science, Volume 03. Grolier Incorporated.
Danbury, Connecticut. Pages 295 to 298.
3. Elert, Glenn. (1998-2015). The Physics Hypertextbook: The Nature of Light. Accessed on April 21,
2015 from http://physics.info/light/