Why Do Two Colored Flashlights Make Colored Shadows?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why do two colored flashlights make colored shadows?

The Big Idea

Each colored light casts its own shadow, and the other light lights it up. If a red light and a green light shine on an object, the spot blocked from red is lit only by green. So that shadow looks green!

Two Lights

Step one: use two colored lights. A red flashlight shines from one side, and a green flashlight shines from the other. Each makes its own shadow behind the toy.

Blocked From Red

Step two: one shadow is blocked from red. The toy blocks the red light there, but the green light still shines in. So that shadow looks green.

Blocked From Green

Step three: the other shadow is blocked from green. The toy blocks the green light there, but the red light still shines in. So that shadow looks red. Shadows are the color of the light that still reaches them.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look! A red light shines from the left. A green light shines from the right. Where red is blocked, the shadow is green. Where green is blocked, the shadow is red. The shadows swap colors, which is surprising!

Quick Facts

Quick facts! Shadows are not always gray or black. A shadow is the color of whatever light still reaches it. Where both lights overlap on the wall, the color looks yellowish. Never shine flashlights at anyone's eyes.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist! Stand a toy in front of a white wall. Shine a red flashlight from one side. Shine a green flashlight from the other side. What colors are the two shadows?

Outro

Each shadow is lit by the other light, so it has that color. Science is amazing! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!