Question

Select the statement(s) that accurately describe visible light.

The visible light part of the electromagnetic spectrum is the only portion that we can see with the human eye.

The wavelengths of other parts of the electromagnetic spectrum are either too long or short to be perceived by our eyes.

The colors of the visible light spectrum are red, orange, yellow, blue, purple and white.

Cone-shaped cells in our eyes only perceive certain portions of the electromagnetic spectrum.

White light is a combination of all the colors of the visible light spectrum.

Answer 1

Correct statements: 1, 2, 4, and 5. Statement 3 is incorrect.

Brief reasons:
- 1: True — the human eye (normally) only detects the visible portion of the EM spectrum (roughly 380–740 nm).
- 2: True — other EM bands have wavelengths outside that range (too long or too short) so they aren’t perceived by our eyes.
- 3: False — the visible spectrum includes green (and often indigo/violet); “white” is not a single spectral color but a mixture of wavelengths.
- 4: True — cone cells come in types sensitive to different portions of the visible spectrum (short/medium/long wavelength sensitivities), which underlies color vision.
- 5: True (in the usual sense) — white light is produced by combining many visible wavelengths (a broad mix of colors).