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Young-Helmholtz trichromatic theory

Written by the Fiveable Content Team โ€ข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโ€ขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โ€ข Last updated September 2025

Definition

The Young-Helmholtz trichromatic theory is a theory of color vision that suggests there are three types of cones in the retina, each sensitive to different wavelengths of light (red, green, and blue). These three cone types work together to create our perception of color.

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