A rainbow is made when sunlight shines through water droplets and bends the light to make all the pretty colors!
Here’s a simple explanation for preschoolers:
What Makes a Rainbow?
- Sunlight: We need the sun for a rainbow to happen.
- As stated in the video ([Learn how and why rainbows form - YouTube]()), sunlight is essential.
- Water Droplets: Rainbows need water, like raindrops.
- Light Bending: When sunlight goes into a raindrop, the light rays bend and change directions. This is similar to how light can bend when it goes through different objects.
- The video ([Learn how and why rainbows form - YouTube]()) also explains how "light rays bend as they pass through it."
How it Works:
- Sunlight shines from behind you into the raindrops in front of you.
- When the sunlight enters a raindrop, the light bends (like how it bends when it goes through some objects).
- This bending splits the sunlight into all the colors of the rainbow, which is usually seen as an arc.
- We see these beautiful colors in the sky!
Fun Facts about Rainbows:
- Rainbows always appear in the opposite direction of the sun.
- You can sometimes see rainbows in waterfalls or when you use a garden hose on a sunny day.
- Each color is always in the same order: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.
Simple Experiment:
You can create a mini rainbow at home with a glass of water and a white sheet of paper:
- Fill a clear glass with water.
- Place the glass in a sunny spot.
- Put the white paper on the ground next to the glass.
- Move the paper until you see a tiny rainbow!
This experiment shows how light can bend and create colors like a rainbow.
