Computer Colours | Ngā Tae Rorohiko
Introduction
Abstract
Computer and cell phone displays, TV sets, and other imaging devices use RGB technology (red, green, and blue dots) to simulate colours and make an image.
Principles Illustrated
Human colour vision is based on three types of cones: red-sensitive, green-sensitive, and blue-sensitive. The presence of these three types of cones in the eye is what makes R, G, and B primary colours. Computer, cell phone, TV, and other electronic displays are almost all based on RGB technology, producing “pixels” with varying amounts of R, G, B to simulate colours.
Content
Video
English version
Te Reo Māori Version
Instructions
The video can be used as an introduction or when strong magnifying glasses and/or diffraction gratings are not available. The software can be downloaded for free and installed on as many computers as you like!
Viewing the computer screen works best with a loop magnifier with about 10X magnification. A standard 2X or 4X will not work. Many magnifying glasses have a second, smaller lens with a stronger magnification, such as the ones we seen in the video.
The red and green LEDs show up from a distance of a few metres as red, yellow, and green with the yellow in the middle. This is quite similar to what students see using a strong magnifying glass. As the magnification is increased, the yellow disappears and one sees only red and green as in the photo above.
With this software you can make single colour and random colour images. You can save these. along with two scene images, as .png, .bmp, and .jpg files. The sizes of these files illustrate data compression technology. This software is useful for both physics and ICT teachers.
You can download ComputerColours for PC from this link. Some school internet security software may not let you download this software. If you have trouble contact us for help.
Other Information
Related Resources
He Kōwhai Rūkahu? (Is it Really Yellow?), Kitenga Tae (Seeing Colours), Te Kokinga o te āhea o Ngā Whatu (Eye Resolution).
Credits
This teaching resource was developed by the Te Reo Māori Physics Project with support from
- Te Puni Kōkiri
- The MacDiarmid Institute
- Faculty of Science, Victoria University of Wellington
- School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington
- The New Zealand map shown on the poster frame above is used with permission from www.nz.com.
- We are grateful to Dr. Robert Jacobs, Associate Professor of Optometry at The Department of Optometry and Vision Science at Auckland University , for a number of useful conversations and suggestions.
- The human eye cone response graphic was adapted from one provided by Hyperphysics.
- The butterfly, boat scene, and the images of the ferns used in the software are from the Natural Sciences Image Library.
- This resource was filmed partly at Te Herenga Waka Marae.