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Because at every point IN the rainbow, the angle between the direction to

the sun and the direction to your eye has to be the same angle. The only

bunch of points that can satisfy that requirement is a bunch of points that

are all on the same circle.

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Q: Why does a Rainbow appear to be bent in a semicircle way?
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Why are rainbows semicircle not other shapes?

A rainbow just appears as a semicircle but it is actually a complete circle. We just don't see the whole thing because the horizon gets in the way. Sometimes people on planes will see the entire circle with the shadow of the plane in the center. White light is made up of a mixture of all the different colors. Light takes the form of waves and all the different colors have a different wavelength. Red light has the longest wavelength (720 nm) while violet has the shortest (380 nm). These different wavelengths can be used to explain why you see all the different colors in the rainbow. When light hits water droplets in the air, it is bent slightly - this bending is called diffraction. The amount of diffraction depends on the wavelength - Red light is bent less than blue light so when white light meets the water droplets, it is separated into all the different colors. If you turn on a garden hose, adjust the nozzle to a fine spray and stand with your back to the sun, you will see a rainbow shining in the spray!


Why the color of the rainbow arranged in that way?

The colors of the rainbow are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. This is the order from the outside of the rainbow arch to the inside and is based on how light is reflected.


Does the rainbow touch the ground?

A rainbow is a trick of the light and has no physical properties. The water drops that cause the light to show up as a rainbow can come down and touch the ground, so a rainbow can look like it is touching the ground around waterfalls and similar water features, and is so high up in the air that it appears to touch the horizon. But the rainbow will move as the observer's eyes move, so you can never get to the rainbow, but it may appear to someone else that you have reached the end of the rainbow.If you were in a plane looking down on a rainbow you would see a complete circle. From below we only see part of it because of the Earth's curve etc. And as described above only you can see the particular rainbow that you are seeing. It looks different to anyone else because of the way the millions of raindrops reflect light individually and so differ even to someone next to you.


Why can't you see the end of a rainbow?

Because usually the ground is in the way and blocking part of it. But if you ever look down and see a rainbow from an airplane, you might see the full circle.


Do real diamonds sparkle rainbow colors?

Yes, this is a lively way to describe the reflection and refraction of light through diamonds.

Related questions

Why is the sky under a rainbow usually lighter than the sky around it?

The lighter sky under a rainbow is created by the way that light is bent inside raindrops. The raindrops also focus the sunlight into an expanse of bright light that illuminates the sky under the rainbow's arc.


What are the three types of folds?

One is Anticline, which is a semicircle that is like a hill but stop in the middle or the way down. A Syncline, is a semicircle with pressure at both sides. A Monocline, is a semicircle that goes flat with pressure


Why are rainbows semicircle not other shapes?

A rainbow just appears as a semicircle but it is actually a complete circle. We just don't see the whole thing because the horizon gets in the way. Sometimes people on planes will see the entire circle with the shadow of the plane in the center. White light is made up of a mixture of all the different colors. Light takes the form of waves and all the different colors have a different wavelength. Red light has the longest wavelength (720 nm) while violet has the shortest (380 nm). These different wavelengths can be used to explain why you see all the different colors in the rainbow. When light hits water droplets in the air, it is bent slightly - this bending is called diffraction. The amount of diffraction depends on the wavelength - Red light is bent less than blue light so when white light meets the water droplets, it is separated into all the different colors. If you turn on a garden hose, adjust the nozzle to a fine spray and stand with your back to the sun, you will see a rainbow shining in the spray!


What causes a pencil to look bent in water?

Water can cause a distortion of the light and in turn causes optical illusions. The water refracts light in such a way that objects viewed through light can appear bent, or angled sharply. This is a function of refraction.


What is the best way to explode a rainbow?

There is no way you can explode a rainbow. You cant even touch it. It is just a reflection


How do muscles work with bones to straighten the bent arm?

Well remember that the musleoves the bone one way and that one way is the bent


When spotting a rainbow what is the best way to find a leprechaun?

Always go to the left side of the rainbow


Why does the sky sometimes look like a rainbow at night?

Rainbows have been the subject of songs and poems, stories and mythology, but there is an explanation as to why rainbows appear as they do. Rainbows are light and you can't touch them. The sun must be shining and must be behind you, and there must be water droplets in the air in front of you. Sunlight shines into the water drops which act as tiny prisms that bend or "refract" the light and separate it into colors. Rays of a rainbow bend twice. As they enter the drops, the rays are bent, then they reflect off the back of the drops and bend again as they exit out the front of the drops. The rainbow is circular because when a raindrop bends light, the light exits the raindrop at a 40-42 degree angle away from the angle it entered the raindrop. The violets and blues bend at a 40 degree angle, and the oranges and reds bend at a 42 degree angle. Light can also enter droplet, be reflected off the back of the droplet, only to be reflected of the front, and then off the back again before leaving. It is bent at each phase in this process, and a second rainbow can appear above the first one. In a double rainbow, the second rainbow will appear where it does because the light will be cumulatively bent some 50 to 53 degrees. This gives it its position "outside" the primary rainbow. Also, the colors will be inverted in this bow. Rainbows don't have "ends" but are full circled, but we can't see this because the horizon of the earth is in the way. If the sun is very low in the sky, either just before sunset or just after sunrise, we can see a half circle. The higher the sun is in the sky, the less we see of the rainbow. The only way to see the full circle of a rainbow in the sky is to be above the ground and have the sun behind you. You would have to look out on the drops from an airplane to see a circular rainbow. Now, this is quite complex, so it's possible you might get away with the old standard, "There is gold at the end of the rainbow and that's what makes the colors." Be sure that you watch your 6-year old closely as he/she might decide to pack his/her bags and go hunting for that bag of gold! Another way you may get away with explaining this off is buying a "prism" (it's a glass drop) and hanging it in a sunny window. It will reflect beautiful spots of light in the room and the effects are quite pleasant to study. Another way to view a full rainbow without leaving the ground is using a garden hose. Have it spray water in bright sunlight with the sun behind you and the spray in front of you. If the entire circle is not visible you can move the hose around to see the rest of the circle. The ones seen from airplanes are more spectacular, though.


How many colars are in the rainbow?

There are 7 colors in the rainbow. There is an easy way to remember them:ROY-G-BIVRedOrangeYellowGreenBlueIndigoViolet


What color starts the rainbow?

Depending on the way you see the rainbow starting, it would either be red or violet.


Is it possable to fix a Bent frame on a 1999 camaro?

No. The most common way to tell if a frame is bent is if the roof is buckled.


How do you find the end of a rainbow?

No you can't because a rainbow is just a refraction of light, similar to the way the sky is blue.