visible light
Eyes can detect
Visible light is the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that human eyes can detect—wavelengths roughly between 380 and 700 nanometers.
This narrow band produces the colors we perceive, from violet at the short end to red at the long end.
Visible light from the sun takes about eight minutes to reach Earth.
Beyond this range lie ultraviolet and infrared, invisible to us without instruments.
Color's specific character
- saturationState of complete permeation
- chromaColor purity measure
- tintFaint color addition
- shadeDarkness from blocked light
tone · pigment · palette · rainbow · prism · wavelength · red · orange
Spatial repetition interval
- nanometersBillionths of meters
- photonElectromagnetic radiation unit
- prismLight-splitting optical element
- refractionWave bending between media
diffraction · electromagnetic · infrared · ultraviolet · dispersion · frequency · absorption · transmission
Wave bending between media
- reflectionReturned light or thought
- diffractionWaves spreading past obstacles
- scatteringDistribution in many directions
- polarizationSeparation into opposing extremes
interference · lens · prism · mirror · fiber optics · transparency · translucency · opacity
Radiance from our star
- daylightSun's natural glow
- lamplightIllumination from a lamp
- candlelightLuminescence from burning wick
- firelightLight from flames
moonlight · starlight · torchlight · bioluminescence · incandescence · fluorescence · phosphorescence · LED
Light per unit area
- intensityStrength or force level
- lumensMeasure of visible light
- candelaLuminous intensity unit
- illuminationProvision of light
brilliance · dimness · glare · dazzle · lux · exposure · contrast · blinding
Organ of sight
- retinaLight-sensing tissue layer
- photoreceptorCell responding to light
- rodsThin cylindrical shafts
- conesTapering geometric solids
pupil · cornea · lens · optic nerve · sight · perception · scotopic · afterimage
hue
Color's specific character
- saturationState of complete permeation
- chromaColor purity measure
- tintFaint color addition
shade · tone · pigment · palette · rainbow · prism · wavelength · red · orange · yellow
wavelength
Spatial repetition interval
- nanometersBillionths of meters
- photonElectromagnetic radiation unit
- prismLight-splitting optical element
refraction · diffraction · electromagnetic · infrared · ultraviolet · dispersion · frequency · absorption · transmission · spectroscopy
refraction
Wave bending between media
- reflectionReturned light or thought
- diffractionWaves spreading past obstacles
- scatteringDistribution in many directions
polarization · interference · lens · prism · mirror · fiber optics · transparency · translucency · opacity · medium
sunlight
Radiance from our star
- daylightSun's natural glow
- lamplightIllumination from a lamp
- candlelightLuminescence from burning wick
firelight · moonlight · starlight · torchlight · bioluminescence · incandescence · fluorescence · phosphorescence · LED · filament
luminance
Light per unit area
illumination · brilliance · dimness · glare · dazzle · lux · exposure · contrast · blinding · faint
eye
Organ of sight
- retinaLight-sensing tissue layer
- photoreceptorCell responding to light
- rodsThin cylindrical shafts
cones · pupil · cornea · lens · optic nerve · sight · perception · scotopic · afterimage · blind spot
- Electromagnetic Wavesradio waves, gamma rays, X-rays, microwaves, wavelength
- Energy phenomenaelectricity, electromagnetism, magnetism, electromagnetic waves, radiation
- light physicsphoton, refraction, diffraction, wavelength, polarization
- physics termsacoustics, optics, thermodynamics, waves, frequency
- light spectrumspectrum, sunlight, rainbow, wavelength, prism
- rainbowrainbow, arc, red, colors, orange
visible lightinfrared
Heat-bearing electromagnetic waves
ultraviolet · ultraviolet light · infrared light · radio waves · gamma rays
light, vision, visible, visual, invisible, visionary, visibly, visualize, visibility