Page:The wonders of optics (1869).djvu/96

88 of the coloured light. The effect obtained by adding the last colour to the mixture is quite magical, the white circle being produced from two brilliantly-coloured spots.



A fifth experiment, first devised by Newton, is also within the reach of the student. On a disc of cardboard the centre and border of which have been previously painted black, are pasted seven strips of paper, painted as nearly as possible of the same colour as the components of the spectrum—or if the student is anything of an artist he may paint the disc in imitation of the spectrum, carefully shading off the tints into each other. If the disc be now rapidly rotated the colours will disappear, and a greyish hue will be seen, which will approach more closely to white, the nearer the colours on the disc are to those of the spectrum. This experiment is not precisely the same in principle as the preceding ones, for it is evident that the colours on the disc do not mix, but only the impressions they form upon the retina. We have already said that such impressions remain on the eye for one-tenth of a second or there-abouts; the disc must therefore revolve at least ten times a second, or the effect will not be perceived.

From these experiments it follows that the colours