Judy Juarez

Professor Ogren
November 9, 2015
PHY 300-04 Lab
Colors
Purpose: To understand how the additive and subtractive primary colors combine to produce
different colors.
Materials: Color console, color filters (red, green, blue), magnifying glass, chromatography
paper, color markers, 500 ml beaker.
Procedures (answers):
1a. The combination of red and blue colored lights results in the color magenta.
1b. The combination of red and green colored lights results in the color yellow.
1c. The combination of blue and green colored lights results in the color cyan.
1d. The combination of blue, red, and green colored lights results in the color black.
2. The color images from any printed material under a magnifying glass, the colors
produced are a mixture of dots that highlight the big picture color through contrast colored
dots. For example, a red colored picture was made up red and black dots that compose the
color red.
3. After the different colors were separated from each dot we realized that the discoloration
of the colored dots on the paper came from the marker breaking down into its basic colors.
Blue displayed a hint of purple, purple displayed a hint of blue, orange displayed colors of
yellow and orange, red displayed a hint of yellow, black displayed blue and yellow, green
displayed blue and yellow, and lastly, brown melted off to show red and yellow.

4a. When seeing through a red filter at a white sheet of paper the color coming through it was
red. The reason for this is because the filter will only allow red light to go through, we only
see red.
4b. Repeating this process with a blue filter has the same reaction but with a blue outcome.
The reason for this is that the filter will only allow for blue light to go through, so we only
see blue.
4c. When seeing through a green filter the only light we see is green because the filter only
allows for green light to come through.
4d. Using a combination of two filters, in this case green and blue filters, only allow for an
aqua color to be seen. The reason for this is that the filter only allows for aqua lights to come
through.
4e. Looking through a white sheet of paper with a combination of all three filters you only
see black. A combination of three filters shows up as muddy which is the only color allowed
to go through the filters.
5a. Looking at a green leaf through a green filter makes the leaf look green. This is because
the same light reflected from the leaf under no filter is the same light that can pass through
the green filter.
5b. Looking at a green leaf through a blue filter makes the leaf look yellowish. This is
because the light reflected through the filter distorts the green wavelengths to appear of that
of yellow.
5c. Looking at a green leaf through a red filter will make the leaf look black because a red
filter will absorb the green color of the leaf.
Questions:

1. In a dimly lit place such as a movie theater, it is difficult to tell the color of your own
clothes. Explain the reason.
The reason why it is difficult to tell the color of your own clothes in a dimly lit place such as a
movie theater is because the cones inside of your retinas are working but the rods are not yet
activated. Cones need light to work properly while rods need less light to work but they need
about 10 minutes to get to work. After the rods in your eyes are activated, you are able to see but
rods do not show color.
2. If red, blue, and green pigments were mixed, what would be the resulting color?
By mixing red, green, and blue spotlights we produce white light but by mixing red, green, and
blue pigments together we get a dark brown, or murky grey color. Pigments reflect all colors.
3. What would be the resulting color if cyan and red lights were combined?
The resulting color from a combination of cyan and red lights would be white. It is the same
thing as adding blue, green, and red together because blue and green make up cyan.