Physics of Rainbows (with ponies)
Despite appearing magical to the uninitiated, rainbows can be explained using relatively simple high school physics. As Twilight explains, the parallel light rays from the sun are refracted when passing from the air into the water droplet, reflected off the far side of the droplet, and refracted again on exiting the drop.
The precise angle by which the raindrops reflect the light depends on the point where the ray enters the drop, but most of the light we see is reflected at around 42 degrees to the incident sunlight. But as Twilight learns, it is also possible for light to be reflected twice inside the drop, giving the secondary rainbow. As it’s reflected twice, the colours are in the opposite order. And as only a smaller amount of light is reflected, it’s considerably fainter.
The angle of refraction can be calculated from the incident angle and the refractive index of the water drop – the speed in air, divided by the speed in water. The separation of the colours occurs because this varies slightly with the wavelength (or colour) of the light.
The angles can be calculated in many ways. One of these, mentioned by Zecora, is the principle of least time. The light ray traveling across a boundary from point A to point B will take the quickest path. A straight line would be the shortest distance, but not the quickest route as it travels a greater distance in the slower medium. If it enters the water slightly to the side, it will increase the path length, but decrease the time taken as it travels a shorter distance in the slower medium.
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To think I read this story for the first time... a day or two ago? Funny!
Nice little update!
And you did research on it! Double nice!
~Skeeter The Lurker
Wasn't this a video? Or, at least, I remember a similar one.
Physics....and ponies. You have made me so happy! (Physics major squee~)
SCIENCE BITCHES!
Pretty.
i.imgur.com/D7T90bF.jpg
Science AND ponies! It's a win-win!
tinyurl.com/mbho6go
Ponies make everything better.
Science makes everything better.
You combined ponies and science.
3.14159265359... thumbs up for you!
Nice story, also glad to see colour spelt the way it should be.
3669822 That's 3.14159265358 to you. ;)
I'll just leave this here.
i.imgur.com/s0CDwsW.jpg
3676621 Hey genius color is spelt differently depending on where you live
5946745
Oh I didn't realise!
Wait you might not have got that...
Thank you great dispenser of wisdom for using your godlike intelligence to open my eyes to the truth.
I guess that's probably still too hard for you...
Good Job! Your doing very well, we're all so proud of you! Keep it up, words are hard to understand I know, but you tried and that's what's important. Maybe one day if you keep trying this will all make sense! Aim High
5950962 Wait were you joking? Sorry I didn't realize that it was a joke I thought you honestly didn't know
5951393
All is forgiven, mistakes are easy to make.
Advice from an old person; don't insult strangers (unless they insult you first) , especially over what you perceive to be ignorance as it just makes you seem like a jerk, it also makes it hard to meet new friends.
5952160 Thanks! Again sorry and thank you for the advice
5952220 FIMfiction: the only place on the web I know where something like this doesn't have to turn nasty and actually got solved amicably. Not that there's a shortage of nastiness around here, but probably a little less.
Well done you two!
I think this just made this random drive-by commenter's day.
2981328 ydude I see you comment on every story I have read!! Awesome!
A nice story, but I had trouble truly 'seeing' the scenes the story took place in. A couple more descriptive details might have helped flesh out the areas the characters were walking around in for a more immersive experience.
This was entertaining. Part of me wonders if the story of Pinkie handling nuclear fission would be in the same universe. Like a sort of science for ponies universe.