Chasing Rainbows!

For kids

Have you ever seen a rainbow? They're so beautiful! Let's learn how these colorful arches appear in the sky. It's like magic, but it's actually science!

The Sun and Rain Team Up!

Rainbows need two things: sunshine and rain! Here's how they work together:

• Sunlight: The sun sends out white light.
• Raindrops: Raindrops are like tiny prisms.
• Bending Light: When sunlight enters a raindrop, it bends (changes direction) and splits into all the colors of the rainbow!
• Reflecting Light: The light then bounces off the back of the raindrop and comes back towards us.
• Rainbow Time! Because the raindrops are round and the light bends at different angles, we see the rainbow as a curved arc!

The Colors of the Rainbow

Do you know the colors of the rainbow? Here's a handy way to remember them:

1. Red
2. Orange
3. Yellow
4. Green
5. Blue
6. Indigo
7. Violet

Remember the word ROY G. BIV! It helps you remember the order of the colors. Awesome, right?!

Keep looking up! You never know when a rainbow might appear after a sunny shower. Keep exploring and learning – you're doing great!