Rainbows appear after storms because raindrops act like tiny prisms. When sunlight goes through the drops, it bends and splits into colors, just like when you shine light through a glass prism at home. The rainbow only shows up when the sun is behind you and there are still raindrops in the air to make the magic happen!
How It Works Light enters a raindrop, bends (which is called [refraction](/search?q=refraction)), reflects off the inside of the drop, then bends again as it leaves, this makes the light split into different colors. Each [color](/search?q=color) comes out at a slightly different angle, so we see them spread apart in an arc.
Examples
- If you stand in the rain with the sun at your back, a rainbow might appear above the horizon.
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See also
- Why Do Rainbows Appear Only After Rain?
- Why Do Rainbows Appear After a Storm?
- How Do Rainbows Form?
- How Does Rainbows don't work the way you think they work Work?
- Why is Rainbow Curved and Circular?