How is the color magenta formed in additive color mixing?

Magenta is formed in additive color mixing by combining red and blue light. This process relies on the basic principles of how colors are created when different colored lights are superimposed. In additive color mixing, the primary colors are red, green, and blue.

When red light is mixed with blue light, the combination excludes green, which creates the visually distinct color magenta as our eyes interpret the blended wavelengths of both red and blue light. Thus, when these two colors are viewed together, they do not produce white light (which would occur when mixing all three primary colors) but rather this unique color that falls between red and blue on the color spectrum.

In contrast, mixing red and green light produces yellow, mixing green and blue light produces cyan, and mixing all three primary colors in equal measure produces white light. Understanding these combinations helps envision how colors interact in various contexts, especially in digital displays and lighting where additive mixing is prevalent.