How Rainbows Form - Overview                                 
• How Rainbows Form
Diagram
• Steps Involved in the Process
1. Light from Sun strikes raindrop 
2. Some of the light is reflected 
3. The rest of the light is refracted 
4. Light splits into component colours 
5. Reflected at rear of raindrop (TIR) 
6. Refracted again as it leaves raindrop 
7. Colours are further dispersed
 
Reflection                                                                            
• Regular and Diffuse Reflection
• The Law of Reflection
• Reflection and Rainbows
 
Refraction                                                                           
• The Speed of Light
• Air to Water
• Water to Air
• Refractive Index
• Snell's Law
Example Calculation
 
Dispersion                                                                             
• The Components of White Light
• Splitting the Colours
 
Total Internal Reflection                                                    
• Critical Angle
                Calculating Critical Angle
• Total Internal Reflection
Total Internal Reflection in Rainbows
Example of TIR (animation)
 
Interesting Facts About Rainbows                                  
• How many colours in a rainbow?
• When is a rainbow not a rainbow?
• Rainbows without the rain.
• Snell and Descartes
 
Rainbow Links

About the author

Rebecca's teaching areas are Physics, Chemistry and Junior Secondary Science.
She would love to hear any comments/suggestions you may have regarding this site.

Email Rebecca at:  bec@rebeccapaton.net
 

Credits

All other diagrams and animations in this site were generated by Rebecca McDowell using CorelDRAW and CorelPHOTOPAINT. These were quite time-consuming to put together so if you wish to use them, please include an acknowledgement.