• Question: how does something get its colour

    Asked by lgs10joneg to Jemma, John, Katie, Lisa, Amylou, Faye, Pete, Tess on 4 Jul 2012. This question was also asked by ellascientist.
    • Photo: Lisa Fitzgerald

      Lisa Fitzgerald answered on 4 Jul 2012:

      hi @lgs10joneg,

      Different materials have different reflective and absorptivity properties with regards to light. We see the light that it reflects and recognise that as its colour. For instance something which reflects only red light appears red but something that is fully reflective to all light appears white. something that absorbs all light appears black as we see no light reflected from it.

      Thanks

      Lisa

Comments

  • Photo: abzdebest

    abzdebest commented on :

    Like cadmium is the base element for the color. The cadmium rocks have color variations that are separated during the refinement process. The rock is ground down to a fine powder and that’s pigment. This is suspended in oil or polymer to make the colour you use.