visible spectrum

Eye-detectable wavelengths

The visible spectrum is the portion of electromagnetic radiation that human eyes can detect—the narrow band between ultraviolet and infrared that we perceive as light and color.

When white light passes through a prism, it separates into the visible spectrum: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet.

The rainbow displays the full visible spectrum.

colors

hue

Color's specific character

shade · pigment · red · orange · yellow · green · blue · indigo · violet · ROYGBIV

optics

prism

Light-splitting optical element

interference · absorption · transmission · reflection · photometry · lens · filter · polarization · optical · Fraunhofer lines

physics

electromagnetic

Involving electric and magnetic fields

photons · energy · light waves · quantum · Planck · radiation · band · blackbody · thermal radiation

rainbow

arc

Curved line segment

  • skyVisible overhead expanse
  • rainWater dropping from clouds
  • sunshineDirect rays from above

dispersion · ROYGBIV · double rainbow · supernumerary · meteorology · atmospheric · refraction · droplets · sunlight · natural phenomenon

perception

vision

Ability to see

rods · retina · color blindness · brightness · luminosity · afterimage · perception · sensitivity · eye · fovea

Categories
Opposites
visibility to human perception

visible spectruminfrared

Heat-bearing electromagnetic waves

ultraviolet · radio waves · infrared radiation · ultraviolet radiation · microwaves

wavelength position relative to visible range

visible spectruminfrared

Heat-bearing electromagnetic waves

ultraviolet · infrared spectrum · radio spectrum · near-infrared · far-infrared

Family

visible, invisible, spectrum, visibly, visibility, spectral, invisibility, spectrometer, spectroscopy

Familiarity
Top 200,000
Profile
Used worldwide · Timeless · Rated G