Question

List the following colors of visible light from lowest frequency to highest frequency: orange, green, violet, yellow.

Short answer

The order of the given colors from lowest to highest frequency is orange, yellow, green, violet.

Step-by-step solution

Understand Visible Light Spectrum

First, recall the order of colors in the visible light spectrum. The order from lowest frequency (longest wavelength) to highest frequency (shortest wavelength) is red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet (often remembered by the acronym ROYGBIV).

Arrange Given Colors

Given the colors orange, green, violet, yellow, we can arrange them based on the order in the visible light spectrum. From lowest frequency to highest frequency, it should be orange, yellow, green, violet.

Key concepts

Frequency of Light

The frequency of light refers to the number of wave cycles that pass a point in one second. It is a critical concept in understanding the properties of light waves.
In the context of visible light, frequency determines color.
Light with a low frequency appears red, whereas light with a high frequency appears violet.
Light frequency is measured in hertz (Hz), or cycles per second.

• Lower frequencies correspond to longer wavelengths.
• Higher frequencies correspond to shorter wavelengths.

This relationship between frequency and wavelength is essential when arranging colors by their position in the visible spectrum, as lower frequencies relate to colors like red while higher frequencies relate to colors like violet.

Wavelength

Wavelength is the distance between two successive peaks of a wave. It is a fundamental property of waves, including light. In the visible light spectrum, wavelength helps us identify different colors.
Wavelengths of visible light are typically measured in nanometers (nm).
For visible light, red has the longest wavelength, while violet has the shortest.
A critical rule in wave science is that wavelength is inversely proportional to frequency.

• When wavelength increases, frequency decreases.
• When wavelength decreases, frequency increases.

This inverse relationship is why red, with its long wavelength, has a low frequency, and violet, with its short wavelength, has a high frequency.

ROYGBIV

ROYGBIV is an acronym that helps us remember the order of colors in the visible light spectrum from lowest frequency to highest frequency.
This order is:

• Red
• Orange
• Yellow
• Green
• Blue
• Indigo
• Violet

Using ROYGBIV, you can easily arrange colors in the spectrum by both frequency and wavelength.
Red is at the beginning with the longest wavelength and lowest frequency, and violet is at the end with the shortest wavelength and highest frequency.

Color Spectrum

The color spectrum is the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to the human eye. When white light passes through a prism, it gets separated into its constituent colors, creating a spectrum.
This spectrum illustrates the range of visible light, showing colors from red to violet, arranged by their frequencies and wavelengths.

• Red light has the longest wavelength and lowest frequency.
• Violet light has the shortest wavelength and highest frequency.

The colors we see in the spectrum are a guide to understanding the behavior of light.
Knowing these colors and their order helps us not only in physics but in everyday contexts where knowledge of light properties is applied.