Rainbows happen when sunlight plays hide and seek with raindrops. After it rains, the sun comes out, and light goes through the tiny water droplets in the air. These droplets act like little prisms that bend the light into colors, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet, which we see as a rainbow. It’s like when you shine a flashlight through a glass of water and see colors appear on the wall.
Examples
- A rainbow appears after a summer storm on the way home from school.
- You see a rainbow while riding your bike through a puddle-filled street.
- Your brother points out a rainbow above the playground during recess.
See also
- What Causes the Tides Exactly?
- Why Do We Have Different Seasons?
- What Causes a Volcano to Erupt?
- How Does a Battery Work?
- Why Do We Yawn When We're Tired?