In the additive color model, red, green, and blue light combine to create white light.
Understanding Additive Color Mixing
Additive color mixing is how light works. It differs from subtractive color mixing, which is how pigments like paints or inks behave. With light, the more colors you add, the brighter the result.
The Role of Primary Colors
- Red, Green, and Blue (RGB): These are the primary colors of light. They are called primary colors because they cannot be created by mixing other colors together, and all other colors can be created by combining them in various proportions.
How White Light is Formed
When red, green, and blue light are combined at equal intensities, they stimulate all three types of color receptors in the human eye equally. This results in the perception of white light. This principle is fundamental to how displays like computer monitors, televisions, and phone screens work. They use tiny red, green, and blue lights (pixels) to create the full spectrum of colors we see.
Visual Representation
Think of shining red, green, and blue spotlights onto a white screen in a darkened room. Where only red shines, you'll see red. Where only green shines, you'll see green. And so on. But where all three overlap, you'll see white light.
Example: Computer Screens
Computer screens use this principle to display colors. Each pixel on a screen is composed of tiny red, green, and blue subpixels. By varying the intensity of each subpixel, the screen can produce a vast range of colors, including white (when all subpixels are at their maximum intensity).
