What is colour vision and what are the dimensions of colour?

Colour vision is the ability of the eyes to see and distinguish between colours based upon their varying wavelengths in the visible spectrum of light. The vision of colours depends on the visible spectrum, which includes the range of energy detected by the photoreceptors. Further, the colours are a psychological property of human sensory experience. They are created by the interpretation of the information received by the brain.

The dimensions of colour are as follows:

(i) Hue −It is a property of chromatic colours. Hue varies with wavelength and each colour carries a specific wavelength. Achromatic colours like black, white and grey do not have hues.

(ii) Saturation −It is a psychological attribute that refers to the relative amount of hue of a surface or object. The light of a single wavelength appears to be saturated, while the mixtures of different wavelengths cause decrease in saturation.

(iii) Brightness −It refers to the perceived intensity of light and varies across both chromatic and achromatic colours. White is the brightest colour, whereas black is the least bright colour.