How Is a Rainbow Made?
The secret colors of sunlight
Duration: 1:54
Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple: how does a rainbow appear in the sky? Join our little explorer on a rainbow hunt after the rain, and discover the secret hidden inside sunlight!
In short
Sunlight looks white, but it is really made of many colors, all mixed together. When sunlight shines into a raindrop, the drop bends the light and splits it into all its colors. Millions of raindrops do this at the same time, and together they paint a giant rainbow across the sky. The colors always come in the same order: red on the outside, then orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. To see a rainbow, you need two things: rain in front of you and the sun behind you, so the best time to look is after a rain shower, when the sun comes out again. Sometimes you can even see two rainbows at once: a double rainbow! Never look straight at the sun, because it can hurt your eyes. And on a sunny day, a grown-up can help you make your own rainbow with a fine mist of water from a garden hose, with the sun behind you.
What you will learn
- Why sunlight looks white but is made of many colors
- How a raindrop bends sunlight and splits it into colors
- Why the colors always come in the same order: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple
- When to look for a rainbow: rain in front of you, the sun behind you
- What a double rainbow is
- Why you should never look straight at the sun
- How to make your own rainbow with a garden hose (with a grown-up!)
Let's talk about it
Questions to ask after watching, at home or in class. Tap a question to see a short answer.
What is sunlight made of?
Many colors, all mixed together! The raindrops split them apart.
Which color is always on the outside of a rainbow?
Red! Then come orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple.
Where must the sun be when you look for a rainbow?
Behind you, with the rain in front of you.
What the narrator says
Everything the narrator says in the video, to read along, to practice English, or to use in class.
Read the full text
Hello again, little explorer! Today, after the rain, we are going on a rainbow hunt!
Look up in the sky! Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. A rainbow! But how is a rainbow made? Let's find out!
Here is the first secret. Sunlight looks white, but it is really made of many colors, all mixed together.
To see them, the light needs a little help... from a raindrop!
When sunlight shines into a raindrop, the drop bends the light, and splits it into all its colors!
Millions of raindrops do this at the same time, and together they paint a giant rainbow across the sky!
And the colors always come in the same order. Red on the outside, then orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple.
But to see a rainbow, you need two things: rain in front of you, and the sun behind you!
So the best time to look for a rainbow is after a rain shower, when the sun comes out again.
Sometimes, you can even see two rainbows at once! It is called a double rainbow.
One important tip: never look straight at the sun. It can hurt your eyes!
Want to make your own rainbow? On a sunny day, ask a grown-up to spray a fine mist of water with a garden hose, with the sun behind you!
So now you know the secret! A rainbow is sunlight, split into colors by tiny raindrops.
What colors will you see first? Great job, little explorer! See you next time, for a new adventure at Curious Kids Lab!
