Indholdsfortegnelse for November/December 2024 i Click Science and Discovery Magazine for Preschoolers and Young Children

Look at the picture under a strong light. Do the colors appear brighter? Look at the picture in a dark room. You can probably still see the sizes and shapes of things, and even that some things are darker or lighter than others. But the colors are harder to see. We need light to see color. If we couldn’t see colors, our lives would be very different. How would we know when berries are sweet and ready to eat? How would we know which drink to choose? How would we know which team has the ball? Could you tell one of these popsicles from another if they weren’t different colors? What about these candies? Some colors blend in together and can make things hard to see. Some colors stand out…

“Every night, when you turn off my light, the colors go away,” says Yo. “Look! My red train is black and my green ball is gray.” “When there isn’t much light,” says Mom, “the parts inside our eyes that help us see colors stop working.” “But if I turn up the light a little with the dimmer switch . . .” “Ha!” says Yo. “Now there’s red in my train and green in my ball.” “When I turn the light all the way up, everything will be bright and colorful,” says Mom. “Unless I hide under the covers,” says Yo, “then everything is black, black, black.” “When there’s no light, we can’t even see the shapes of things,” agrees Mom. “So it’s important to leave the hall light on and…

Some colors whisper. Some colors call out. And some colors shout! Look around. What do the colors of the animals near you say?…

Our eyes have two kinds of tiny sensors hidden inside. Called rods and cones, these sensors help us see every time we open our eyes. Rods work even when there isn’t much light. They help us see shapes and movements in the dark. Cones work only in bright light. They help us see colors. Most people have three types of cones, which work together to let us see all the colors of the rainbow. But some people and many animals, including cats and dogs, have only two types of cones. They see fewer colors. Some birds, fish, and other animals have four—or more!—types of cones. Scientists think that these animals may see a range of colors where people see only a single color. We don’t really know what colors a…

Sam took out his favorite watercolor paints and announced, “I’m confused.” He pointed, “Red, blue, yellow—three primary colors. You can’t make them by mixing other colors. But you can use them to make new colors. That’s what you always said.” Sam dipped his paintbrush in the water. “Red and blue mix to make purple. Blue and yellow mix to make green. Yellow and red mix to make orange. And if I mix red and blue and yellow all together, I get yucky blackish.” Mom sat down across from Sam. “Nothing confusing so far, Sam. You’ve painted a bunch of purple grapes with green leaves in a big orange bowl on a yucky blackish table. Those grapes look good enough to eat! What’s the problem?” Sam scowled. “The problem is that…