Rainbows appear after storms because raindrops act like tiny prisms. When sunlight goes through the drops, it bends and splits into colors, just like when you shine light through a glass prism at home. The rainbow only shows up when the sun is behind you and there are still raindrops in the air to make the magic happen!
How It Works Light enters a raindrop, bends (which is called [refraction](/search?q=refraction)), reflects off the inside of the drop, then bends again as it leaves, this makes the light split into different colors. Each [color](/search?q=color) comes out at a slightly different angle, so we see them spread apart in an arc.
Examples
- If you stand in the rain with the sun at your back, a rainbow might appear above the horizon.
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See also
- How Does Rainbows don't work the way you think they work Work?
- Why Do Clouds Have Different Shapes And Colors?
- How do rainbows form and why do they always appear as arcs?
- How are tornadoes formed?
- What is eyewall?