Difference Between Violet and Purple

The human eye and brain work together to convert light into colour. Light receptors in the eye send information to the brain, which results in the familiar colour sensations. Colour is not inherent in objects, according to Newton. Rather, an object’s surface reflects some hues while absorbing all others. Only the reflected hues are visible to us. As a result, red isn’t “in” an apple. The apple’s surface reflects the wavelengths that we see as red while absorbing the rest. When an object reflects all wavelengths, it appears white; when it absorbs all wavelengths, it appears black. The additive primary colours of the colour spectrum are red, green, and blue. Combining equal amounts of red, green, and blue lights yields pure white.

Process through which our eyes see colours

Light enters the eye and goes to the retina, which is positioned in the rear of the eye. Rods and cones, which are light-receptive cells, cover the retina in millions. When these cells sense light, they send signals to the brain. The majority of humans have three types of cone cells, and each colour stimulates several cones. Their combined reaction generates a distinct signal for each colour, allowing millions of different colours to be differentiated. These cells, in conjunction with connected nerve cells, provide enough information for the brain to interpret and name colours.

Newton’s explanation for colour of light

Colour is a characteristic of light, as Newton demonstrated. As a result, understanding colour necessitates a basic understanding of light. Light shares features with both waves and particles as a type of electromagnetic radiation. It’s like a stream of tiny energy packets emitted at different frequencies in a wave motion. The frequency, wavelength, and energy of any given beam of light have precise values.

Frequency is generally stated in hertz (1 Hz = 1 cycle per second), which is the number of waves crossing a fixed point in space in a unit of time. The distance between the corresponding points of two consecutive waves is measured in nanometres (1 nm = 10-9m) and is typically stated in metres. A light beam’s energy is comparable to that of a minuscule particle moving at the speed of light, except that no particle with a rest mass could move at such a speed. The name photon, which refers to the tiniest amount of light of any wavelength, is designed to encapsulate this duality, as it encompasses both the wave and the particle.

Difference between violet and purple

Understanding the distinction between Violet and Purple is the first step toward comprehending the visible spectrum’s wavelength range. Violet is a genuine colour that is often noticeable in nature because of its presence in the electromagnetic spectrum. This is the crucial and fundamental difference in understanding these two colours. The colour’s wavelength, or range of wavelengths, is between 380 and 450 nanometres.

The purple colour is the result of an unnatural combination of red and blue. A prism, on the other hand, can be used to create the violet colour. We know that when white light passes through the prism, it will split into seven different colours (generally known as the VIBGYOR). Dispersion is the phenomenon of white light breaking into seven different wavelengths. Understanding the distinction between violet and purple colours will be aided by the dispersion process.

Violet is classified as a spectral colour. It has its own wavelength and occupies its own spot in the visible spectrum between 380 and 420 nm. Purple, on the other hand, is a straightforward mixture of the spectral colours blue and red.

Our colour vision is based on the function of three separate colour-sensitive cells called cones, which we all have. These cones are claimed to be activated by various wavelengths, although each of the three is stimulated differently. The signals from the cones are then processed in a way that allows us to see the colours that we do.

Point wise differences between violet and purple

• Purple is an unnatural pigment, whereas violet is a natural colour that may be seen in nature. Purple is a man-made colour shade created by mixing two colours
• Violet is a spectral colour and one of the visible spectrum’s most dominating wavelengths. Purple, unlike violet, is not a spectral colour. In the visible spectrum, it is undetectable
• In Newton’s colour wheel, violet was regarded as a fundamental colour. But the purple colour was not approved by Newton and only the violet colour may be seen
• Violet colour is made up of a single wavelength range, whereas purple colour is made up of multiple wavelengths, resulting in a wide spectrum of colours

Conclusion

Although violet and purple items in nature are essentially different, purple appears to us as a more saturated shade of violet. Purple objects are “red and blue at the same time,” while violet objects are simply violet.