Physics Name Ava

PhET Simulation – Colour Vision Date 12/06/21

Access: Google “PhET simulations.” Click on Light & Radiation. Launch the Color Vision Simulation.

Part I – Use the RGB Bulbs Tab

1) Each light has a color gradient. For the best results, slide the bar to the very top of each color. Each color should
be observed individually for this first part. To stop the color, return the bar to the black location.

a) What color is seen when the red light is on?

b) What color is seen when the green light is on?

c) What color is seen when the blue light is on?

2) For the next part we will investigate the effects of mixing two colors. Before you begin each part be sure to make
a hypothesis.
a) What color do you think the man will see when red and green are mixed together?
I think she will see yellow.

b) Turn on the red and green, both to the very top of the color scale. What does the man actually see?
She saw yellow.

c) Experiment with the degree of color. While doing this, make sure that both colors are in equal locations on
the scale. What colors are observed? Do they still fit into the same color family as the color observed in
‘b’?
The other colours that are observed are darker shades of yellow, orange, and dark green. They do fit into the same
colour family as yellow.

3) Keep the red light on (to the top red location), and turn off the green. We will be looking at red and blue next.
a) What color do you think the man will see when red and blue are mixed together?
I think she will see purple

b) Turn on the red and blue, both to the very top of the color scale. What does the man actually see?
She saw neon pink.

c) Experiment with the degree of color. While doing this, make sure that both colors are in equal locations on
the scale. What colors are observed? Do they still fit into the same color family as the color observed in
‘b’?
The colours observed are dark shades of purple and red. These colours do fit into the same colour family as neon
pink.

4) Keep the blue light on (to the top blue location), and turn off the red. We will be looking at green and blue next.
a) What color do you think the man will see when green and blue are mixed together?

Continued on the next page.

b) Turn on the green and blue, both to the very top of the color scale. What does the man actually see?
She saw a light blue.

c) Experiment with the degree of color. While doing this, make sure that both colors are in equal locations on
the scale. What colors are observed? Do they still fit into the same color family as the color observed in
‘b’?
The colours observed were dark shades of teal and green. These colours do fit into the same colour family as light
blue.

5) Now we will be looking at mixing all three colors.

b. Turn on all three colors, all to the very top of the color scale. What does the man actually see?
She saw white.

Part II – Use the Single Bulb Tab

Click on Light & Radiation and use the single bulb for this part of the simulation.

1) Set the simulation to the following: bulb type – ‘white’, beam – ‘photons’, and filter color – ‘off’.
a) What is coming out of the bulb?
Rainbow coloured dots.

b) What color light does the man see?

2) Set the simulation to the following: bulb type – ‘white’, beam – ‘solid’, and filter color – ‘off’.
a) What is coming out of the bulb?
A white light.

b) What color light does the man see?

4) Set the simulation to the following: bulb type – ‘white’, beam – ‘photons’, and filter color – ‘on’.
a) Choose any filter color. Record the color red.
b) What is coming out of the bulb before the filter (in the area just in front of the filter)?
Rainbow coloured dots.

c) What is coming out after the filter?

d) What color light does the man see?

e) Choose another filter color. Record the color blue.

Continued on the next page.

g) What is the filter doing?

5) Set the simulation to the following: bulb type – ‘white’, beam – ‘solid, and filter color – ‘on’.
a) Choose any filter color. Record the color blue. Repeat questions b-d (from question 3
on the last page). Please record your observations as you answer the questions.
b) a white light
c) a blue light
d) the man sees blue.

b) Choose another filter color. Record the color orange. Repeat questions b-d (from question
3 on the last page). Please record your observations as you answer the questions.
b) a white light
c) a orange light
d) the man sees orange.

c) What are the differences between question 3 (photon setting) and question 4 (solid setting)?
The photon settings produced rainbow coloured dots, while the solid setting produced a solid white light.

d) What are the similarities between question 3 (photon setting) and question 4 (solid setting)?
They both make the man see the same colour.

6) Set the simulation to the following: bulb type – ‘monochromatic, beam – ‘solid, and filter color – ‘on’.
a) Select a bulb color and a filter color that are different. Record the colors chosen below. What does the man
see?
Bulb Color: red
Filter Color: blue

Color seen by the man: no colour

b) Select a bulb color and a filter color that are the same. Record the colors chosen below. What does the man
see?
Bulb Color: orange
Filter Color: green

Color seen by the man: no colour

c) What is the filter doing?

Continued on the next page.