Question

Your friend says that more patterns and colors can be seen on the wings of birds if viewed in ultraviolet light. Would you agree with your friend? Explain your answer.

a) Yes, ultraviolet light reveals patterns and colors not visible in visible light.

b) No, ultraviolet light does not affect the appearance of bird wings.

c) Birds' wings appear monochromatic in ultraviolet light.

d) The effect varies depending on the bird species.

Answer 1

Yes, more patterns and colors can be seen on bird wings in ultraviolet light, as many species have feathers that reflect UV light, which is invisible to the human eye but visible to some animals.

Step-by-step explanation:

Yes, I would agree with your friend that more patterns and colors can be seen on the wings of birds when viewed in ultraviolet light. Many bird species have feathers that reflect ultraviolet light in a way that is not visible to the human eye, which can only perceive light wavelengths from about 380 to 750 nanometers.

Ultraviolet light falls below this range, starting from around 10 nm to 400 nm. Some birds, insects, like bees and butterflies, and other animals have the ability to see into this part of the spectrum, so they can detect these patterns that are invisible to humans. For these creatures, these ultraviolet patterns can be important for attracting mates or for other types of communication.