explainthatstuff
Thin-film interference on a soap bubble
What makes the colors on the surface of a soap bubble? Light waves reflected from the top and bottom of the soap interfere constructively (adding together) or destructively (taking away), producing a spectrum of colors that varies with the thickness of the film.
This photo is from our article about thin-film interference.
Our images are published under a Creative Commons Licence (see opposite) and are free for noncommercial use. We also license our images for commercial use. Please contact us directly via our website for more details.
Thin-film interference on a soap bubble
What makes the colors on the surface of a soap bubble? Light waves reflected from the top and bottom of the soap interfere constructively (adding together) or destructively (taking away), producing a spectrum of colors that varies with the thickness of the film.
This photo is from our article about thin-film interference.
Our images are published under a Creative Commons Licence (see opposite) and are free for noncommercial use. We also license our images for commercial use. Please contact us directly via our website for more details.