• Question: if there is no one in a room thus no eyes and no cameras is there any colour in that room?

    Asked by tommolloy95 to Cat, Daz, Holly, Johnson, Pamela on 21 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Pamela Lithgow

      Pamela Lithgow answered on 21 Jun 2011:

      Hi Tommolloy95,
      Hmmm……..this is a very similar question to “if a tree falls, and no on is there to hear it does it make a sound?”(/microbiologyj11-zone/2011/06/if-a-tree-falls-and-no-one-is-there-to-hear-it-does-it-make-a-sound).
      I will give a similar answer. When there is nothing there to “see” colour it is still there the light is still bouncing off of the things in the same way and making the same colours just because we don’t see it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Do you agree? What do you think?
      I hope this helps
      Pam 🙂

    • Photo: Darren Braddick

      Darren Braddick answered on 21 Jun 2011:

      Hi Tommolloy95,

      Oh Pam, you read my mind for this answer – the link she has posted is a very similar question. So yes, we sense sound, touch, light, taste and smell. These sensations are delivered through ‘stimuli’ which of course will depend on the nature of the sense. In the case of light (and colour!!), the lack of a person to sense it will not remove its existence! So yes, the room is still coloured. Of course, it could be due to how the person interprets it. If you consider colour-blindess, maybe a room isn’t coloured. We also had a question before which asked if the same colours are the same for everyone – for example is your red the same colour as my red..

      I hope this helps answer your question!

      Daz

    • Photo: Cat O'Connor

      Cat O'Connor answered on 21 Jun 2011:

      Hi tommolloy95

      Great chatting with you earlier today.

      Pam and Daz have answered this question exactly how I would have!….but they got there first, damn two hour meetings with boss!

      This question has brought to mind an even more complex question about a theory called Schrodingers Cat….just because you are talking about an effect (colour) in a room where there is nobody there to wittness it. Now, I’ve attached a link to a cool website which describes the theory in a basic language I can understand…and if i can get it, you’ll be able to too!

      I should admit that the only reason I kinda know about this theory is through the tv show called “the big bang theory”……..like i’ve said a few times in chat sessions, I was awful at physics!!

      http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A1073945

      Hope this helps and confuses you and them makes you appreciate physics some more! 😀

      Cat

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