Name: ____________________________ Date: ________________ Period: ________
Lab – Color Mixing
Purpose:
To investigate how our eyes perceive mixtures of colors.
Experiment #1 – What do different color filters do to light?
We’ve already discussed that color filters only let through certain colors of light.
Therefore, you should be able to guess what is going to happen below…
In a moment, you will look at the color wheel on page 426 of Conceptual Physics
through different color filters. For each data table, you will first hypothesize how each
color will look. Then you will test your prediction.
I. Red Color Filter
Hypothesis
Red
Observation
Magenta
Blue
Cyan
Green
Yellow
White
Explanation: What colors of light pass through a red filter? What colors are blocked?
II. Cyan Color Filter
Hypothesis
Red
Observation
Magenta
Blue
Cyan
Green
Yellow
White
Explanation: What colors of light pass through a cyan filter? What colors are blocked?
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Name: ____________________________ Date: ________________ Period: ________
III. Magenta Color Filter
Hypothesis
Observation
Red
Magenta
Blue
Cyan
Green
Yellow
White
Explanation: What colors pass through a magenta filter? What colors are blocked?
IV. Yellow Color Filter
Hypothesis
Observation
Red
Magenta
Blue
Cyan
Green
Yellow
White
Explanation: What colors of light pass through a yellow filter? What colors are blocked?
Before continuing, let’s hone your explanations from parts II-IV a little bit.
Specifically, let’s suppose that the cyan, magenta, and yellow filters each let through
two (and only two) colors of light. Using your results from the experiment, which two
colors would they be?
Cyan filters only let through _______________ and _______________ light.
Magenta filters only let through _______________ and _______________ light.
Yellow filters only let through _______________ and _______________ light.
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Name: ____________________________ Date: ________________ Period: ________
Experiment #2 – What happens when you use two color filters together?
Using your results from Experiment #2, predict what color you will see when you shine
white light through each of these pairs of filter. Run an experiment to see if you’re right.
Hypothesis
Observation
Cyan filter
+
Magenta filter
Cyan filter
+
Yellow filter
Yellow filter
+
Magenta filter
Yellow filter
+
Magenta filter
+
Cyan filter
Experiment #3 – What happens when different colors of light are mixed?
Go to http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/color-vision
Use your results from experiment #1 to predict what the man will see if you turn on each
of the following combinations of light. Run your experiment to find out.
Hypothesis
Observation
Red + Green
Red + Blue
Blue + Green
Red + Blue +
Green
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Name: ____________________________ Date: ________________ Period: ________
Experiment #4 – Color shadows
I. Generate a shadow on a white screen
with red light. Draw what you see.
What color is the shadow?
______________
Explain why in at least one complete
sentence.
II. Now add a green light. Draw what you
see.
Explain why the shadows have their
colors in at least one complete sentence.
What color is the background? Explain
why in at least one complete sentence.
What color is the left shadow?
______________
The right shadow?
______________
III. Finally, add a blue light. Draw what you
see.
Pick one shadow and explain why it has
the color it has.
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