YoungHelmholtzteorin

The Young-Helmholtz theory, also known as the trichromatic theory of color vision, is a model explaining how humans perceive color. It was independently proposed by Thomas Young in 1802 and later expanded upon by Hermann von Helmholtz in the mid-19th century. The theory posits that the human eye contains three types of cone photoreceptor cells, each most sensitive to a different range of light wavelengths. Specifically, there are cones maximally sensitive to short wavelengths (blue), medium wavelengths (green), and long wavelengths (red).

According to the Young-Helmholtz theory, the perception of any color arises from the relative stimulation of these three cone types. For example, when light of a specific wavelength stimulates the red-sensitive cones more strongly than the green or blue ones, we perceive a reddish hue. When all three types of cones are stimulated equally, we perceive white. The brain interprets the combined signals from these cones to generate the full spectrum of color sensations. While the trichromatic theory is a foundational concept in understanding color vision, it does not fully explain all aspects, such as the perception of complementary colors or color constancy, which are addressed by other theories like the opponent-process theory.