When Do We See Rainbows?

-We see rainbows when the sun is behind us and falling rain is in front of us. -When sunlight strikes a falling drop of water it is refracted, changed in direction, by the surface of the water. The light continues into the drop and is reflected from the back of the drop to the front.

When can you see a rainbow?

Rainbows can appear any time there are water droplets in the air and the sunlight shines from behind them at a low angle. That means they are more likely to appear in the early morning or later afternoon.

What causes a rainbow to appear?

When sunlight hits a rain droplet, some of the light is reflected. The electromagnetic spectrum is made of light with many different wavelengths, and each is reflected at a different angle. Thus, spectrum is separated, producing a rainbow.