Question 1

What is color in chemistry?

Accepted Answer

In chemistry, color comes from how light interacts with substances. When light hits something, some colors get absorbed and others bounce back to our eyes, making things look colorful.

Question 2

How do we see different colors?

Accepted Answer

We see different colors because light is made of many colors. When it shines on an object, the object absorbs some colors and reflects others. The reflected colors are what we see with our eyes.

Question 3

Why is the sky blue?

Accepted Answer

The sky looks blue because the air scatters the blue part of sunlight more than the other colors. This scattered blue light is what we see when we look up at the sky.

Question 4

Why are plants green?

Accepted Answer

Plants are green because they have a chemical called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll absorbs most colors of light but reflects green, which is why leaves look green.

Question 5

What makes fireworks colorful?

Accepted Answer

Fireworks get their colors from different chemicals. When these chemicals are heated, they produce bright colors like red, green, and blue in the sky.

Question 6

Why do some colors glow in the dark?

Accepted Answer

Some colors glow in the dark because they have special substances called phosphors. Phosphors absorb light and then slowly release it, which makes them glow even after the lights go out.

Question 7

Why is gold yellow?

Accepted Answer

Gold appears yellow because of the way its atoms absorb light. Gold absorbs blue light, so the light that bounces back to our eyes looks yellow.

Question 8

What causes a rainbow to form?

Accepted Answer

A rainbow forms when sunlight passes through raindrops. The raindrops act like tiny prisms and split the light into different colors, which we see as a rainbow.

Question 9

Why do things fade in the sun?

Accepted Answer

Sunlight can fade things because its energy breaks down the colors in dyes and pigments. Over time, this makes colors look lighter or washed out.

Question 10

What changes colors in a chameleon?

Accepted Answer

Chameleons change color thanks to special cells in their skin. These cells can move pigments around, so the chameleon can switch colors to blend in or communicate.

Question 11

Why is there sometimes a green flash at sunset?

Accepted Answer

A green flash can happen at sunset because the Earth's atmosphere bends sunlight. The green light from the sun sometimes pops out just before it disappears.

Question 12

Why does red look different from blue?

Accepted Answer

Red and blue look different because they have different wavelengths of light. Our eyes see these different wavelengths as different colors.

Question 13

What makes a peacock's feathers so colorful?

Accepted Answer

A peacock's feathers have tiny structures that reflect light in a special way. These structures create beautiful and shiny colors through a process called iridescence.

Question 14

Why do leaves change color in autumn?

Accepted Answer

Leaves change color in autumn because they stop making chlorophyll. Without it, other pigments in the leaves show up, turning them yellow, red, and orange.

Question 15

What is a pigment?

Accepted Answer

A pigment is a substance that gives something its color. It absorbs some colors of light and reflects others that we see.

Question 16

Why is blood red?

Accepted Answer

Blood is red because it contains a protein called hemoglobin. Hemoglobin carries oxygen and reflects red light, so our blood looks red.

Question 17

What makes oil slicks have rainbow colors?

Accepted Answer

Oil slicks show rainbow colors because of thin layers of oil. When light hits these layers, it bends and splits into different colors like a prism.

Question 18

Why are some animals brightly colored?

Accepted Answer

Some animals are brightly colored to show off or warn predators. Bright colors can help them find mates or let others know they're poisonous.

Question 19

What does the color of a flame tell us?

Accepted Answer

The color of a flame tells us how hot it is and what it's burning. For example, a blue flame is usually hotter than a yellow one and can mean it's burning a gas.

Question 20

How do dyes work?

Accepted Answer

Dyes work by attaching to materials and reflecting certain colors. They are used to color clothes, papers, and many other things we use every day.

The Chemistry of Color - 20 FAQs Explained Simply