Light & Color What happens to the light that strikes an object? What determines the color of opaque, transparent & translucent object? How is mixing pigments different from mixing colors of light?

Transparent A transparent material transmits most of the light that strikes it. This allows you to see clearly what is on the other side. Clear glass, water & air are transparent.

Translucent A translucent material scatters light as it passes through. You usually see something behind a translucent object, but the details are blurred. Wax paper & frosted glass are translucent

Opaque An opaque material reflects or absorbs all of the light that strikes it. You cannot see through an opaque material because light cannot pass through it. Wood & metal are opaque.

Color The color of an opaque object is the color of the light it reflects. An apple appears red because it reflects only red light. Opaque objects can appear to change color in different color of light. For example, in blue light a red apple looks black, because there is no red light for the apple to reflect. The color of a transparent or translucent object is the color of the light it transmits. For example, transparent blue glass looks blue because it transmits only blue light.

Primary Colors of Light A wide range of colors can be produced using just a few basic colors. Three colors that can combine to make any other color are called primary colors. Two primary colors combine in equal amounts to produce a secondary color. THE PRIMARY COLORS OF LIGHT ARE RED, GREEN, & BLUE.

Secondary Colors of Light yellow (red+ green), cyan (green + blue) magenta ( red + blue) When all three primary colors of light are combined in equal amounts, they produce white light. If the three primary colors of light are combined in different amounts they produce other colors. Complementary colors are a primary & a secondary color that can combine to form white light. Blue & yellow are examples of complementary colors.

Pigments Pigments are colored substances that are used to color other materials. They include inks, paints, & dyes. The color of pigment is the color of light that the pigment reflects. As pigments are added together, fewer colors of light are reflected & more are absorbed.

Pigments The more pigments that are combined, the darker the mixture looks. The primary colors of pigments are CYAN, YELLOW, & MAGENTA. The secondary colors of pigments are red, green, & blue. The primary pigment colors combine in equal amounts to produce black. Many other colors of pigments can be produced by combining the primary pigment colors in different amounts.