510 nm

Where would we be without the color green?

510 nm is a very special measure.  It happens to be the approximate wavelength of the color green.  You might remember from your school days that white light is made up of all the colors.  The infamous R.O.Y.G.B.I.V. was the mnemonic most of us used to remember the colors of the spectrum.  Unfortunately ROY lost his “I” when scientists made it clear there is no Indigo.  Indigo now resides in the dust heap of science history along with Pluto the planet.  

Anyway, back to the color green.  When we see something green, all of R.O.Y.G.B.V.’s colors are absorbed by the object except green light which bounces back to our eyes.  

What’s so special about the color green?  Without it we would have no life on Earth.  The green pigment named chlorophyll is the key.  Plants use the beautiful green color to capture light from the Sun and then build food for the rest of us.  

 

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