Polychromatic refers to something that contains or displays multiple colours. In various contexts, this can describe anything from art and design to objects in nature that reflect or emit a variety of colours.
- In the context of light, polychromatic refers to light that contains multiple wavelengths, each corresponding to a different colour in the visible spectrum. For example, white light is polychromatic because it is a combination of all the colours (wavelengths) within the visible spectrum.
- Sunlight is a perfect example of polychromatic light, as it contains all the visible wavelengths that combine to form white light. When this light interacts with the atmosphere or objects, it can be scattered or reflected to produce a range of colours.
- In a rainbow, polychromatic sunlight is dispersed through water droplets, splitting into its constituent colours across the visible spectrum, producing the familiar bands of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.
- The opposite of polychromatic is monochromatic, which refers to light composed of only one wavelength, producing a single colour or hue.