Book 13, Question 27
Why Do Paints Mix Differently From Colored Lights?
Paint and light follow opposite rules. Paint mixes by taking colors away, but light mixes by adding colors together. That is why they act so differently!
More fun facts
- Mixing colored light is very different from mixing paint.
- Mixing light is called additive mixing, because each light adds more light.
- With paint, each added color's pigment absorbs more of the light shining on it.
- That is why paint mixtures get darker as you add colors.
- The primary colors of paint are different from the primary colors of light.
- Just three colors of light can be mixed to make over 16 million colors.
Sources: Exploratorium, Exploratorium, BBC
Questions kids ask
What are the primary colors of light?
Red, green and blue.