Final answer:
Primary colors are those that cannot be created through the mixture of other colors, and they correspond to the types of cones in our eyes. Our perception of different hues is due to the combinations of these primary colors. Complementary colors are the ones we perceive when a certain color is missing from white light.
Step-by-step explanation:
The fundamental or pure colors that cannot be achieved from a mixture are known as primary colors. These primary colors correspond to the three types of cones in our eyes, and all the hues we perceive are a result of different combinations of these primary colors. For instance, when all colors are present in the proportions found in sunlight, our eyes perceive this as white light. Similarly, when a certain color is absent from white light, our eyes perceive the complementary color.
On a color wheel, complementary colors are located directly across from one another. For instance, if red photons are absorbed from white light, our eyes see the color green, which is the complement of red. The principle of complementarity is also evident in the example of the [Cu(NH3)4]²+ ion. This ion absorbs orange and red light, thus appearing blue because the remaining colors that are reflected constitute the complementary colors of the absorbed ones.
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