How come when h2o drops on my computer screen I see

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Water droplets on a computer screen create a rainbow effect due to the principles of classical optics, as the screen is made up of closely spaced red, green, and blue pixels. The observed colors change with the viewing angle because of light refraction through the droplets. The discussion suggests performing a geometrical optics exercise to understand how these colors appear when viewed through a spherical droplet. There is a nostalgic mention of older amber computer monitors, highlighting a shift in display technology over time. Understanding the interaction between light and the pixel arrangement is key to grasping the phenomenon.
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I hope this topic belongs here, after all this is about color and color is described through quantum mechanics.

How come when water molecules drop on my computer screen I see a variety of colors (kind of like a rainbow), and those colors change depending on the angle I am observing it \vartheta. The colors seems to repeat every couple degrees.
 
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Nano-Passion said:
I hope this topic belongs here
Classical optics is pretty sufficient to give an answer :devil:

Your screen is composed of red-green-blue dots spaced by 0.1mm or so.
Now - an excercise in classical optics - compute how it looks if viewed through a droplet: transparent, but n>1, sphere of a diameter comparable to the pixel spacing?

And behave! Don't sneeze on your screen!

(I used to open cans with beer just by computer screen in old times, when all screen pixels were amber...)
 
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xts said:
Classical optics is pretty sufficient to give an answer :devil:

Hence this thread has been moved to the classical physics forum.
 
xts said:
Classical optics is pretty sufficient to give an answer :devil:

Your screen is composed of red-green-blue dots spaced by 0.1mm or so.

My screen is composed of red-green-blue dots? I want a more fundamental answer than that.

And if they are composed of red-green-blue dots then how do I get all of these colors? Spaced by .1mm or so? Something seriously isn't making sense to me. :(
And behave! Don't sneeze on your screen!

lmao, actually I have this stupid persistent water damage on my roof from the neighbors above me :(.

(I used to open cans with beer just by computer screen in old times, when all screen pixels were amber...)

Amber? :confused:
 
Nano-Passion said:
My screen is composed of red-green-blue dots? I want a more fundamental answer than that.
And if they are composed of red-green-blue dots then how do I get all of these colors? Spaced by .1mm or so? Something seriously isn't making sense to me. :(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RGB_color_model

Take a simple (high-school level) excercise on geometrical optics: find what you see through helf-sphere (or full sphere) of glass or water if you look at the pattern of coloured dots.


Amber? :confused:
First computer monitors were green. In 1980's amber ones become popular - they were nicer to eyes if you had to work long time with them. Even as a student I liked comfort, so I managed to get one of the first amber VT-220 on my desk :-p
 
xts said:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RGB_color_model

Take a simple (high-school level) excercise on geometrical optics: find what you see through helf-sphere (or full sphere) of glass or water if you look at the pattern of coloured dots.



First computer monitors were green. In 1980's amber ones become popular - they were nicer to eyes if you had to work long time with them. Even as a student I liked comfort, so I managed to get one of the first amber VT-220 on my desk :-p

Oh thank you.
 
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