Spin the Color Wheel

It seems counterintuitive that white light actually contains all the colors (wavelengths) of visible light. The spectrum of colors for visible light includes, in order of longer to shorter wavelengths, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. When the surface of an object reflects some colors and absorbs all the others, we perceive (see) only the reflected colors. A ball that we see as red reflects red light and absorbs all the other colors (wavelengths). A white ball reflects all the colors of the specturm and a black ball absorbs them all.

As the color wheel spins, the colors mix together and blend into each other. If the wheel spins fast enough, the blending of the colors creates almost white light – a reflection of all colors of light at nearly the same time. As the wheel slows, you can perceive the distinct color being reflected by each section.