Final answer:
The colors of light reflected when red and green light shine on magenta, yellow, and cyan are red and green, green, and green, respectively. This reflects the principle of subtractive color mixing, where each color reflects or absorbs different wavelengths of light.
Step-by-step explanation:
When discussing the characteristics of light and color perception, photoreceptor cells in our eyes are critical to understanding how we see colors. The question here relates to the subtractive colors and what colors of light they reflect when a mixture of red and green light is shone upon them.
Part A asks: Which of these colors of light are reflected from magenta? The correct answer is that both red and green lights are reflected. This is because magenta is a secondary color that is formed by the absence of green from white light. Therefore, when red and green lights are shone on magenta, both colors are reflected, as magenta does not absorb them.
Part B asks: Which of these colors of light are reflected from yellow? Yellow, being a color that absorbs blue and reflects red and green, will only reflect green light in this scenario because that is the only color shining on it from the given mixture.
Part C asks: Which colors of light are reflected from cyan? Cyan reflects green and blue light, but since only red and green lights are present, cyan will primarily reflect the green light.
To summarize, the colors reflected by the three subtractive colors mentioned when shone with red and green lights are as follows:
- For magenta: red and green
- For yellow: green
- For cyan: green
In answering this question, always ensure to choose any one option in the final part clearly. Here, the mention of the correct option in the final answer is critical to provide the student with a clear understanding of the concept.