How Are Rainbows Made? | Easy Science Reading

This short science reading passage is for English learners. Read the passage, learn key vocabulary, and answer the questions.

Rainbows form when sunlight and raindrops work together.

Reading Level

A2-B1

Word Count

262 words

Reading Passage

A rainbow is a colorful arc that sometimes appears in the sky after rain. Rainbows look magical, but they are made by sunlight and water.

Sunlight looks white to our eyes, but it is made of many colors. When sunlight enters a raindrop, the light bends. This bending is called refraction. The raindrop acts a little like a tiny glass prism.

Inside the raindrop, the light separates into different colors. This happens because each color bends at a slightly different angle. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet spread out. This is why we see colorful bands in a rainbow.

The light also reflects inside the raindrop before it leaves. Reflection helps send the colors back toward our eyes. To see a rainbow, the sun is usually behind you and the rain is in front of you.

Rainbows often appear when the sun is low in the sky. This can happen in the morning or late afternoon. If the sun is too high, it may be harder to see a rainbow.

Sometimes people see a second rainbow above the first one. This is called a double rainbow. The colors in the second rainbow are usually lighter and appear in the opposite order.

Sunlight bends, separates into colors, and reflects inside raindrops.

Key Vocabulary

Word	Meaning	Example
rainbow	a colorful arc seen in the sky	A rainbow appeared after the rain.
refraction	the bending of light as it passes through something	Refraction happens inside raindrops.
reflection	light bouncing off a surface	Reflection helps send light back.
prism	a shape that can split light into colors	A raindrop can act like a prism.
angle	the direction from which something bends or moves	Each color bends at a different angle.

Reading Comprehension Questions

1. What two things help make a rainbow?
2. What is refraction?
3. Why does sunlight separate into colors?
4. Where is the sun usually when you see a rainbow?
5. What is a double rainbow?

Answers

1. Sunlight and water help make a rainbow.
2. Refraction is the bending of light.
3. Each color bends at a slightly different angle.
4. The sun is usually behind you.
5. It is a second rainbow above the first one.

Short Summary

Rainbows form when sunlight enters raindrops, bends, separates into colors, and reflects back toward our eyes.

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