White Light & Colour
Explain that white light is a mixture of all visible colours (ROYGBIV), describe dispersion through a prism, explain why objects appear coloured (selective reflection and absorption of wavelengths), and describe colour mixing with filters
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Teaching Table
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“If your child shone white light through a prism, could they explain why a rainbow of colours appears — and then predict what colour a blue jumper would look under red light and why?”
Full guide and materials
- Activity. Explain that white light is a mixture of all visible colours (ROYGBIV), describe dispersion through a prism, explain why objects appear coloured (selective reflection and absorption of wavelengths), and describe colour mixing with filters
What to notice. Lists the colours of the visible spectrum in order of increasing frequency • Explains why a prism disperses white light into a spectrum • Explains why a red object looks red under white light but black under blue light • Predicts the colour of an object seen through a colour filter
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If your child shone white light through a prism, could they explain why a rainbow of colours appears — and then predict what colour a blue jumper would look under red light and why?
Explain that white light is a mixture of all visible colours (ROYGBIV), describe dispersion through a prism, explain why objects appear coloured (selective reflection and absorption of wavelengths), and describe colour mixing with filters
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Check understanding
- Lists the colours of the visible spectrum in order of increasing frequency
- Explains why a prism disperses white light into a spectrum
- Explains why a red object looks red under white light but black under blue light
- Predicts the colour of an object seen through a colour filter
“If your child shone white light through a prism, could they explain why a rainbow of colours appears — and then predict what colour a blue jumper would look under red light and why?”
Curriculum record
- Type
- Conceptual
- Subject
- Science
- Domain
- Waves, Light & Sound
- Age range
- Ages 11–12
Standards