Colorimetry

Colorimetry is the science and technology used to quantify and describe physically the human color perception. It is similar to the method of spectrophotometry, but is distinguished by its interest in reducing spectra to the perceptions of color that they induce.

History

The development of colorimetry dates back to the 17th century with the work of Isaac Newton. Newton discovered that color is not inherent in objects. Rather, the surface of an object reflects some colors and absorbs all the others. We perceive only the reflected colors.

Principles

Colorimetry involves the human eye as an instrument for measurement. The eye contains three types of color receptor cells, or cones. These are sensitive to different ranges of light: short-wavelength light (blue), medium-wavelength light (green), and long-wavelength light (red).

Applications

Colorimetry has a wide range of applications, from the design of lighting for theatres and television, to the specification of paint for houses, and even in the assessment of the health of farm crops and forests.

See also

• Color theory
• Color space
• Color model
• Color wheel
• Color psychology