How are rainbows formed?

A rainbow is a meteorological phenomenon that is caused by the refraction, or bending, of light as it passes through water droplets in the atmosphere. When sunlight is refracted, or bent, by water droplets, it is separated into its component colours, which appear as a spectrum of colours in the sky. The colours of a rainbow, in order from shortest to longest wavelength, are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.

Rainbows are typically formed when there is a combination of sunlight and rain. The sunlight is refracted, or bent, as it passes through the raindrops, and the resulting spectrum of colours is visible in the sky. Rainbows can also be formed by other sources of light, such as streetlights or car headlights, passing through water droplets in the air.

Rainbows can be observed in many different parts of the world and are often considered to be symbols of hope and beauty. They are typically formed at a specific angle, which is known as the rainbow angle, and are often accompanied by a circular arc of colours. Rainbows can appear in a variety of shapes and sizes and can be seen in the sky or on the ground, depending on the conditions that are present.