Blue is a popular and commonly seen color. Many objects in our everyday lives are blue. In this article, we will explore some common blue objects.
The Sky
One of the most ubiquitous blue objects is the sky. On a clear day, we look up and see a bright, light blue sky. The blue color comes from the way air molecules scatter sunlight. Shorter wavelength light, like blue and violet, is scattered more than longer wavelengths. This scattering effect gives the sky its blue hue during the day.
The exact shade of blue changes throughout the day. In the early morning and late afternoon, the sun sits low on the horizon. Sunlight has to travel through more atmosphere to reach our eyes. More blue light is scattered away, making the sky appear more yellow, orange, or red during these times.
At noon, when the sun is high overhead, sunlight takes a shorter path through less atmosphere. This allows more blue light to reach us, creating a deeper blue sky color at midday.
Bodies of Water
Oceans, lakes, and other bodies of water often appear blue when viewed from a distance. Again, this blue color is caused by the scattering of light. Water molecules in lakes and oceans scatter short wavelength blue light more strongly than longer wavelengths.
Water sources look dark blue, blue-green, or even green when viewed directly because we also see reflections from the water surface and absorbtion of some colors by the water. But when seen from a distance, the collectively scattered blue light dominates, giving these bodies of water their characteristic color.
Blue Gems
There are a few naturally occurring gemstones that display blue color:
- Sapphire – Usually a deep blue. Trace amounts of iron and titanium result in the blue color.
- Blue topaz – A pale or sky blue color.
- Tanzanite – Ranges from blue to bluish purple. Its color comes from vanadium impurities.
These blue gemstones have been prized for centuries. Blue sapphires in particular are associated with royalty, wisdom, and prophecy.
Blue Flowers
Many species of flowers produce blue blossoms. Some examples include:
- Bluebells
- Cornflower
- Forget-me-nots
- Hydrangea
- Iris
- Morning glory
- Pansy
The blue pigment in these flowers comes mainly from anthocyanins. These plant compounds give a blue or purple color to flowers to attract pollinators. Blue flowers represent tranquility, spirituality, and inspiration.
Blue Animals
While less common than other colors, some animals exhibit brilliant blue colors. Usually these blues come from structural colors rather than blue pigments. Structural colors arise from microscopic structures in feathers, scales, or exoskeletons that reflect blue light. Some examples of blue animals include:
- Blue tang fish
- Bluebird
- Blue jay
- Blue whale
- Morpho butterfly
- Peacock butterfly
- Kingfisher
The striking blue coloration serves different purposes for these animals. It can be used for mate attraction or camouflage blending in with blue water or sky habitats.
Human-Made Blue Objects
Humans have created many blue objects using dyes, pigments, and other coloring agents. Some examples include:
- Blue jeans – Indigo dye
- Blue ink
- Blue paint – Ultramarine or cyan pigments
- Blue food coloring – FD&C Blue No. 1 dye
- Blue traffic lights – Neon lighting or LEDs
- Blue M&Ms – Dyes
Blue is a popular choice for human creations because of its calming, cooling effect. It represents tranquility, trust, and loyalty.
Common Household Objects
Looking around most homes, many common items are blue. Here are some examples:
- Ballpoint pens
- Notebooks
- Mugs
- Bowls
- Buckets
- Sponges
- Bottle caps
- Tools
Again, the prevalence of blue shows its versatility and popularity as a color choice for mass-produced consumer goods.
Electronics
Blue lighting or accents are commonly used on electronic devices. Examples include:
- Blue power/standby LEDs
- Blue glow of computer monitors and TV screens
- Blue highlight colors on phones
- Blue LED displays
- Blueish smoke color of transparent electronics casing
The cool, technological feeling of blue makes it a fitting color for modern electronics.
Conclusion
Blue is an abundant color in nature and human civilization. The prevalence of blue show its universal appeal. Blue wavelengths are pervasive in our atmosphere which scatters blue light down to us. Bodies of water selectively scatter blue creating blue oceans, lakes, and pools. Some gems, flowers, and animals display blue from various optical effects and pigments. Humans have long engineered dyes, paints, and lighting to produce blue colors. From deep ocean blue to calming sky blue, blue touches everything around us.
