"Color is my daylong obsession, joy, and torment."
--- Claude Monet
SHADES OF COLOR
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by Doğan Kökdemir, PhD | (First publication: 16 Dec 2022, Last edit: 16 Dec 2022)
Twitter (Tweets are mostly in Turkish): @dkokdemir
Mastodon (Toots are in English): @dkokdemir@mstdn.social
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RGB colors are not based on wavelengths of light. Instead, they are a way of representing colors on a computer or electronic display using the primary colors red, green, and blue. The intensity of each primary color is represented by a number from 0 to 255, with 0 being the minimum intensity and 255 being the maximum intensity. For example, the RGB code for baby blue is (224, 255, 255), which means that the red intensity is 224, the green intensity is 255, and the blue intensity is 255. These three primary colors are combined in various proportions to produce the wide range of colors that we see on our screens.
In the context of light and color, the term "wavelength" refers to the distance between adjacent peaks (or troughs) in a wave of light. Longer wavelengths correspond to lower frequencies, and shorter wavelengths correspond to higher frequencies. In the visible spectrum of light, which is the range of wavelengths that we can see with our eyes, longer wavelengths are associated with red, orange, and yellow colors, while shorter wavelengths are associated with green, blue, and violet colors. For example, red light has a wavelength of approximately 700 nanometers (nm), which is at the long end of the visible spectrum. Blue light has a wavelength of approximately 400 nm, which is at the short end of the visible spectrum. In general, shorter wavelengths are more energetic and have higher frequencies than longer wavelengths. This is because the energy of a wave is related to its frequency, and shorter wavelengths have a higher frequency and therefore more energy. The difference between short and long wavelengths is also related to the amount of energy that they can transfer. Short wavelengths are able to transfer more energy than long wavelengths, which is why they are more effective at penetrating through materials and causing damage. This is why short wavelengths, such as ultraviolet (UV) and X-rays, are more dangerous than longer wavelengths, such as visible light and radio waves.
What would it look like if the rainbow color consisted only of shades of one known color?
With the help of OpenAI Assistant, here is the result (wavelengths are just approximations). Keep in mind that these are just approximate values and that the exact wavelengths, RGB, and HEX codes for a particular shade of any color may vary depending on the specific combination of wavelengths that are used to produce it.
Red Rainbow
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Cherry RGB (255, 00, 00) HEX ##FF0000 Wavelenght 700 nm. |
Scarlet RGB (255, 36, 0) HEX #FF2400 Wavelenght 660 nm. |
Maroon RGB (128, 0, 0) HEX #800000 Wavelenght 630 nm. |
Rust RGB (183, 65, 14) HEX #B7410E Wavelenght 610 nm. |
Salmon RGB (250, 128, 114) HEX #FA8072 Wavelenght 580 nm. |
Coral RGB (255, 127 80 HEX #FF67F50 Wavelenght 550 nm. |
Tomato RGB (225, 99, 71) HEX #FF6347 Wavelenght 520 nm. |
Green Rainbow
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Chartreuse RGB (127, 255, 0) HEX #7FFF00 Wavelenght 570 nm. |
Green RGB (0, 255, 0) HEX #00FF00 Wavelenght 500 nm. |
Olive RGB (128, 128, 0) HEX #808000 Wavelenght 480 nm. |
Forest Green RGB (34, 139, 34) HEX #228B22 Wavelenght 460 nm. |
Sea Green RGB (46, 139, 87) HEX #2E8B57 Wavelenght 450 nm. |
Teal RGB (0, 128, 128) HEX #008080 Wavelenght 460 nm. |
Turquoise RGB (64, 224, 208) HEX #40E0D0 Wavelenght 480 nm. |
Blue Rainbow
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Powder Blue RGB (176, 224, 230) HEX #B0E0E6 Wavelenght 480 nm. |
Cornflower Blue RGB (100, 149, 237) HEX #6495ED Wavelenght 460 nm. |
Baby Blue RGB (135, 206, 235) HEX #87CEEB Wavelenght 440 nm. |
Steel Blue RGB (70, 130, 180) HEX #4682B4 Wavelenght 420 nm. |
Royal Blue RGB (65, 105, 225) HEX #4169E1 Wavelenght 400 nm. |
Navy Blue RGB (0, 0, 128) HEX #000080 Wavelenght 380 nm. |
Midnight Blue RGB (25, 25, 112) HEX #191970 Wavelenght 360 nm. |
Violet Rainbow
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Fuchsia RGB (255, 0, 255) HEX #FF00FF Wavelenght 505 nm. |
Violet RGB (238, 130, 238) HEX #EE82EE Wavelenght 490 nm. |
Blue Violet RGB (138, 43, 226) HEX #8A2BE2 Wavelenght 475 nm. |
Dark Violet RGB (148, 0, 211) HEX #9400D3 Wavelenght 455 nm. |
Indigo RGB (75, 0, 130) HEX #4B0082 Wavelenght 445 nm. |
Purple RGB (128, 0, 128) HEX #800080 Wavelenght 430 nm. |
Lavender RGB (230, 230, 250) HEX #E6E6FA Wavelenght 400 nm. |
Brown Rainbow
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Tan RGB (210, 180, 140) HEX #D2B48C Wavelenght 600 nm. |
Beige RGB (245, 245, 220) HEX #F5F5DC Wavelenght 580 nm. |
Khaki RGB (240, 230, 140) HEX #F0E68C Wavelenght 560 nm. |
Sepia RGB (112, 66, 20) HEX #704214 Wavelenght 540 nm. |
Chestnut RGB (205, 92, 92) HEX #CD5C5C Wavelenght 520 nm. |
Sienna RGB (160, 82, 45) HEX #A0522D Wavelenght 500 nm. |
Chocolate RGB (210, 105, 30) HEX #D2691E Wavelenght 480 nm. |
Pink Rainbow
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Bubblegum Pink RGB (255, 193, 204) HEX #FFC1CC Wavelenght 580 nm. |
Rose Pink RGB (255, 192, 203) HEX #FFC0CB Wavelenght 560 nm. |
Fuchsia RGB (255, 0, 255) HEX #FF00FF Wavelenght 540 nm. |
Salmon Pink RGB (250, 128, 114) HEX #FA8072 Wavelenght 520 nm. |
Coral RGB (255, 127, 80) HEX #FF7F50 Wavelenght 500 nm. |
Hot Pink RGB (255, 105, 180) HEX #FF69B4 Wavelenght 480 nm. |
Deep Pink RGB (255, 20, 147) HEX #FF1493 Wavelenght 460 nm. |
A Simple RGB Color Picker
Coded by Doğan Kökdemir, PhD