Why is Yellow Bright?
I was recently asked, upon informing someone that I’m about to start a Ph.D. program in biophysics, why humans perceive yellow as “brighter” than white - specifically, why it’s harder to read yellow text than equally bright magenta text (on a white background).
I said that’s an excellent question but I needed a couple minutes to think about it. Conversation moved on; but a couple minutes later, I announced that I had an answer. Not necessarily the answer, but something that at least sounds plausible. I’ve been unable to find verification, so let me know if you think I’m off-base.
We all know human color perception is powered by cone cells: photoreceptors in the retina that are sensitive to specific swaths of the visible light spectrum. The L cones are the most sensitive to red, the M cones the most sensitive to green, and the S cones the most sensitive to blue.
It just so happens that the blue-sensitive cones are by far the least common in the retina, and the difference between yellow and white is a matter of blue light (white is made up of red, green and blue; while yellow is made up of red and green). So it shouldn’t be surprising that we have a harder time telling the difference!
If anyone has any other explanation feel free to share :)
uk, is yellow your favorite color?
Doha Knight, well, thats the most intuitive explanation :-/
RACIST MATTERS COLORS!!!
I think your explanation is correct. Thats probably the reason its difficult to discern blue light in the background of black.
Nomerci, people do weird things when they are drunk. We had a bet on who can solve the cube faster, and unfortunately someone had a cube in his car. And as a gentleman, I cant divulge the information about the bet over here :-)
Why would you try and solve a Rubiks cube at the Irish??????
Try solving a Rubiks cube at the Irish Harp. the white face and the yellow face are completely indistinguishable under yellow light.
Thats why I thought about the cone cells. Its only by using blue cone cells we can tell "yellow" and "white" colors apart :-/
NOW I KNOW WHY YELLOW CAN'T BE SEEN AS MUCH AS BLOCK.....
NOW I KNOW WHY YELLOW CAN'T BE SEEN AS MUCH AS BLOCK.....
Datuabo, The color of the Sun is not yellow :-[
Plus you can look at the sun directly using Neutral Density filters :)
Thanks LP, let me dig deeper into the subject.
DON'T MIND IT!!!
BECAUSE THE COLOR OF THE SUN IS YELLOW AND OUR EYES CAN'T LOOK THE SUN DIRECTLY....
LP Yellow is the colour in Qatar and seems much brighter here. Plus more yellow than white available here..)
There is no such colour as white. Take a white person for example. When a white person is sick he turns green, if he is in the sun for too long he turn brown, if he out of the sun he turns yellow and list just goings on!
So white is a deceptive colour and only a true yellow Person seems brighter.. Now can all my yellow Asian friends get up and give me a clap..:)
And by the way, your assumption that yellow is perceived as 'brighter' is not supported! Several tests have shown that people perceive white light over yellow light as brighter, clearer, more natural, safer, and more preferable. You can find the report at the Philips website!
Here is another "theory":
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/vision/colper.html
Yeah yeah, I got the vibe too. Just trying to blend in ;-)
See who is racist
AsinineThinker said The number of cats has ...
The number of cats has decreased. All credit goes to the Nepali population.
The roll strength of cats is inversely proportional to the number of Nepali people living in a community. The constant of proportionality is written on a white paper and glued on the door of Nepalese embassy.
Read more: http://qatarliving.com/node/2337592#new#ixzz1fH8GJmk5
UKeng, huh, you're funny :)
Btw, racism is big here in QL. Whats up with that? Somebody care to explain?
Paul, yes thats my blog :)
I think as posted by khanan the issue is too scientific for many of us to respond.
I agree with the fact that the ability of the human eye to distinguish colors is based upon the varying sensitivity of different cells in the retina to light of different wavelengths and your theory seems reasonable to me.
It does not mean that my view is right and in my opinion QL is not the right place for verifying such theories.
hahaha, and white people call the other ethnicities... colored people!
edited
i think Jotun paints ? :(
who gave the names to these colours?
Same answer as some people appear to be bright till they open their mouth.
lol Paul you are fast.
http://blog.davidad.net/post/6934190654/yellow
No problem Khanan :)
I will pass this one :)