No, pink is not a fake color in the sense that it's not a color we can see, but it is not a spectral color either.
Understanding Color and Wavelengths
To understand why pink is sometimes considered "not real," it's essential to grasp the concept of color and wavelengths:
- Spectral Colors: These are the pure colors we see in a rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet). Each of these has a single corresponding wavelength of light.
- Non-Spectral Colors: Colors like pink, brown, and magenta are not found on the spectrum. Instead, they are created by mixing multiple wavelengths of light.
Why Pink Isn't on the Light Spectrum
According to the reference, pink doesn't have a single wavelength. It's a combination of red and purple light. If you were to look at the visible light spectrum, you wouldn't find a pure 'pink' wavelength. This is because pink is a perceived color resulting from our brain's interpretation of combined light wavelengths.
The Science Behind Pink
The explanation highlights that if you used a laser and systematically scanned across all visible wavelengths, you would skip over pink because it is not a single color but a composite of multiple light waves.
Is Pink 'Fake'?
The term 'fake' is misleading. Pink is a real color we can see and perceive. However, it differs from pure, spectral colors in that it's a mixture and not a single wavelength.
Here's a quick breakdown:
| Color Type | Definition | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Spectral | Possesses a single wavelength of light within the visible spectrum. | Red, Green, Blue |
| Non-Spectral | Results from combinations of different wavelengths and cannot be identified as a single specific wavelength. | Pink, Brown, Magenta, Cyan |
In summary, pink is not a spectral color but a combination of red and purple light perceived by our brain, and in that regard could be considered “non-spectral”. It's a real color, not "fake".
