Color
Are Black & White Colors?
What is Color?
The human eye can see very few wavelengths. But, the wavelengths that we can see are what we call the rainbow. There are other wavelengths besides the rainbow, such as infared waves, radar waves, brodcast bands, etc.
Color is a measure of how fast a light wave is moving. The sun emits every color so when it hits a yellow pencil, the yellow light is reflected and every other color is absorbed. The same would go for a red apple. It would reflect the red light and absorb every other color, hence making it a "red apple." The human eye can only see certian wavelengths which is what we call color.
If you ask an artist or a child with crayons your response will probably be black is a color and white is not a color. But, if you ask a scientist your response will most likely be, black is not a color and white is a color.
The reasoning behind the artist or child is that black is the mix of all colors, and white is the absence of all color. The reasoning behind the scientist is that if you mix the three primary colors (red, blue, and yellow) you will get a very dark gray. The point is clear enough that this is representing black. But white is a more confusing subject. If you mix red, blue, and yellow paints you will get black. On the other hand, if you mix red, blue, and green light waves they make white.
Are Black & White Colors?
The Electromagnetic Spectrum
Notice the small sliver of what the human eye can see vs. everything else. We miss out on a lot but can see more than other organisms.