I am a 12-year-old student in Osaka. I love colors. Colors are everywhere. They make the world beautiful. I see red apples, blue sky, green trees, and yellow flowers. Colors are in my clothes, my room, and my books. I want to know more about colors. What are they? Why do we see them? Why do people like them? I write this to learn about colors and share what I find. Colors are amazing, and I am excited to explore them.
Colors come from light. Light from the sun or a lamp looks white. But white light has many colors. When light goes through a prism, it splits into a rainbow. The rainbow has red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. This happens because light bends. Each color bends a little different. Red bends the least, and violet bends the most. Scientists call these colors the spectrum. Our eyes see these colors when light hits things. For example, a leaf looks green because it reflects green light and takes in other colors.
Eyes see colors with special parts called cones. Cones are in the back of the eye. Humans have three cones: one for red, one for green, one for blue. These mix to make all colors we see. Some animals see colors different. Dogs see mostly blue and yellow. Bees see colors we cannot see, like ultraviolet. This helps them find flowers. If someone’s cones don’t work, they may be colorblind. They might mix up red and red or see gray instead. Colors are not just light—they are how we see the world.
Colors are in nature. The sky is blue because air scatters blue light from the sun. At sunset, the sky is red because light travels far and red shows more. Water looks blue because it reflects the sky and takes in red light. Plants are green because they have chlorophyll, a green stuff that uses sunlight to make food. Flowers are many colors, like red, pink, or purple, to attract bees and birds. Animals use colors too. A red ladybug is bright to warn birds it tastes bad. A peacock’s blue and green feathers attract mates. Nature uses colors to help living things.
Colors mean different things in different places. In Japan, red is lucky. People use red at weddings and New Year. Red is on the Japanese flag with white. White means pure in Japan, but it is also for funerals. In China, red is happy and strong. Brides wear red dresses. In India, yellow is holy. People use it in festivals like Holi. In Europe, blue is calm and sad. A “blue day” means feeling sad. Black means sad or serious in many places, like at funerals. But in fashion, black is stylish. Colors change meaning because people give them stories.
Colors are in science. Scientists use colors to learn things. In chemistry, chemicals change colors to show reactions. For example, litmus paper turns red in acid and blue in base. In space, stars have colors. Hot stars are blue, and cool stars are red. Telescopes see these colors to know how far stars are. In medicine, doctors use colors. X-rays show bones in white and skin in dark colors. Colors help us understand the world better.
Colors are in art. Painters use colors to make pictures. Red and yellow feel warm. Blue and green feel cool. Artists mix colors to make new ones. Red and blue make purple. Yellow and blue make green. Black and white make gray. In old times, colors were hard to make. Blue came from stones, and purple came from sea snails. Now, we have many paints. Art shows feelings with colors. A bright painting feels happy. A dark painting feels scary. I like drawing with colors. My favorite is green because it feels fresh.
Colors are in daily life. Clothes have colors. I wear a blue shirt today. Some people pick colors to look good. Red looks strong. Pastel colors, like light pink, look soft. Houses have colors. In Japan, many houses are white or brown. In Mexico, houses are bright, like orange or yellow. Food has colors. Apples are red or green. Carrots are orange. Colors make food look tasty. Cars, phones, and toys have colors too. Companies use colors to sell things. Red and yellow make you hungry, so fast food uses them.
Colors are in technology. TVs and phones show colors with tiny lights called pixels. Pixels mix red, green, and blue to make all colors. This is called RGB. Computers use codes for colors, like #FF0000 for red. Designers pick colors for apps and games. Bright colors catch eyes. Dark colors look serious. In video games, colors show things. Green means safe. Red means danger. I play a game with colorful worlds, and it makes me happy.
Colors have names. Basic colors are red, blue, yellow, green, and so on. But there are many more. Pink is light red. Navy is dark blue. Gold is shiny yellow. Some names are funny, like “bubblegum pink” or “midnight blue.” In Japan, there are special names, like “sakura” for cherry blossom pink or “kon” for deep blue. Every language has color names, and they tell stories about people and places.
Colors affect feelings. Red makes my heart beat fast. It feels exciting. Blue makes me calm, like looking at the sea. Yellow feels happy, like sunshine. Green feels peaceful, like a forest. Dark colors, like black or gray, feel heavy or sad. Bright colors, like orange or pink, feel fun. People use colors to change moods. A blue room helps me relax. A red sign makes me stop and look. I notice colors change how I feel every day.
Colors are in seasons. In spring, Japan has pink cherry blossoms. Summer has green leaves and blue skies. Autumn has red, orange, and yellow leaves. Winter has white snow and gray clouds. Each season feels different because of colors. I love autumn because the trees look like a painting. Colors make seasons special and help us remember them.
Colors are in sports. Teams use colors to show who they are. My school’s team wears blue and white. Soccer teams have bright jerseys, like Brazil’s yellow or Japan’s blue. Fans wear team colors to cheer. In the Olympics, countries use flag colors. Colors make sports fun and easy to follow.
Colors are in history. Long ago, colors were rare and expensive. Kings wore purple because it was hard to make. In ancient Japan, only nobles used certain colors, like deep red. Cave paintings used red and black from earth. Over time, people made more colors with machines. Now, everyone uses colors. Old art and clothes tell us how people loved colors.
Colors are in dreams. When I sleep, I see colorful places, like a red castle or a green ocean. Dreams use colors to feel real. Some people say colors in dreams mean things. Blue means peace. Red means anger. I don’t know if it’s true, but colors make dreams exciting.
Colors have problems too. Some people can’t see colors well. They need help, like special glasses. Pollution can make colors fade. Dirty air makes skies gray, not blue. We need to keep the world clean to keep colors bright. Also, too many colors can be confusing, like in a busy shop. Simple colors are sometimes better.
I love colors because they make life beautiful. My room has green walls and a blue bed. My favorite shirt is yellow. When I walk outside, I see colors everywhere—red signs, green grass, purple flowers. Colors tell stories, show feelings, and help us understand the world. I want to learn more about colors, maybe study art or science. As I write this, I look at my colorful pencils and feel happy. Colors are like magic, turning the world into a rainbow every day.