Why do diamonds reflect the colours of the rainbow?

Question

Why is it that diamond reflect different but clear colours of the rainbow??
Even fake diamonds do it! When ever you more them around they shine out bright colours, like orange, red, blue, purple, etc. Why is this? Even with diamonds that are made of plastic?? And real diamonds?? Any scientists??? :)

Answer 1

The don't REFLECT the colors, they REFRACT the colors.



What you see is not a reflection, but a prismatic refraction. It is light PASSING THROUGH the gem that creates the colors, in a manner identical to a prism.



And, like prism, even fake diamonds do it, because it is a characteristic of the light PASSING THROUGH the diamond, and not a characteristic of the diamond itself. Even s simple piece of glass, if "cut" just right, will do the same thing. So do things like sparkly "gems" that you hang in your car. Even water in a fish tank will do it!

Answer 2

If by reflecting you mean refracting it is because the light passing through a prism that bends the light and shines it in different colors of the rainbow. For more info, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visible_spectrum. Hope i could help

Answer 3

After they are polished, light reflects and it has white light enter. There are precise angles made from them and that is why they reflect the colors of the rainbow. They cut the light so that it sparkles.