How Rainbows Form: Refraction and Reflection in Water Droplets #2320848 (License: Personal Use)

This educational diagram illustrates how a single sunlight beam enters a spherical water droplet, undergoes refraction at the air-water interface, reflects internally off the back surface, and refracts again upon exiting-splitting white light into its spectral colors. The geometry shows multiple possible ray paths, with the primary rainbow arising from one internal reflection and the secondary from two. The central plus sign indicates the droplet’s center, aiding angular analysis of light dispersion.

Used in physics education, meteorology resources, and science outreach pages explaining optical phenomena; matches user intent for understanding rainbow mechanics or preparing STEM lesson materials.