Why Do We See Rainbows After Rain?

Rainbows occur after rainfall or near a huge waterfall or fountain) because what we are seeing is sunlight which is being refracted by raindrops or drops of water.


Refraction is when light is bent, as is is passing from one medium to another.  So with a rainbow we have light from the sun which is basically being seen through water, millions of tiny droplets usually.  The arch of the rainbow is because it is bening bent over a series of angles.

The reason that we see red, orange, yellow, blue, indigo and violet is because it is a near continuous spectrum of light in the sky.

Frequently rainbows are actually double rainbows, although the second rainbow may not always be ver visible.  The second is always much fainter than the first and the colours bend round in the opposite direction, namely violet to red.

Various cultures have beliefs or myths about rainbows, from the 'pot of gold' at the end of the rainbow, to more ancient beliefs.  For example in Norse Mythology a rainbow connects the homes of the Gods to the land of the humans !

That is because the rain drops act like a prism and break the white light coming from the sun into the seven colors of the rainbow.

We only usually see them during rain and sun- however there are rainbows in the skies at all times................ I learned this due to my obsession with Charmed.

Rainbows appear after rain because the rain acts like a type of mirror and reflects the sun which makes rainbows. Even strangers are smart!!:)

Because it reflects on the sun and it forms a rainbow .

Because when the sun hits the water it creates a rainbow

Because rain and sun come before the rainbow.The sun and rain mix together to make a bunch of colors and we named it a rainbow.