Why Does a Red Apple Look Almost Black Under a Green Light?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why does a red apple look almost black under a green light?

The Big Idea

A red apple looks red because it reflects red light and absorbs the rest. A green light has no red in it, so there is nothing for the apple to reflect. The apple looks dark gray or black! Let's try it with colored light.

Red Apple

Step one: a red apple reflects red light. It bounces red light to your eyes and absorbs most other colors. That is why we call it red.

Green Light

Step two: green light has no red. The apple soaks up the green light and has no red to send back. Almost no light reaches your eyes.

A Dark Apple

Step three: the apple looks dark. A green leaf in the same light looks bright, because it reflects green light. The color you see depends on both the object and the light.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look! The red apple reflects only red light. The green leaf reflects green light. Under green light, the leaf looks bright and the apple looks dark. Under red light, it is the other way around. So an object's color is a team effort between the object and the light.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! The color you see depends on the object and the light. A red apple reflects red light and absorbs the rest. Magicians change the colors of props with different colored lights. Never shine a flashlight at anyone's eyes.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist! In a dark room, cover a flashlight with green cellophane. Shine it on a red object and a green object. Which one looks brighter? Then try red cellophane.

Outro

A red apple looks dark under green light because there is no red to reflect. Science is amazing! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!