How do color and monochrome displays form colors?

Color displays and monochrome displays use different mechanisms to form colors.

Color Displays (such as LCD and OLED):

Additive Color Mixing: Color displays use additive color mixing, where different colors of light are combined to create a full spectrum of colors. The primary colors in additive color mixing are red, green, and blue (RGB).

Pixels and Subpixels: Each pixel on a color display consists of subpixels in red, green, and blue. By adjusting the intensity of each subpixel, various colors can be produced.

Color Filters: Some displays also use color filters in conjunction with white light to produce colors. Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) typically use a white backlight filtered through color pixels.

Monochrome Displays (such as black and white displays):

Grayscale Levels: Monochrome displays, by definition, display only shades of a single color (usually black or white). The perception of grayscale is achieved by varying the intensity of the displayed color.

Binary System: In some cases, monochrome displays use a binary system where each pixel can be either on or off (black or white). The arrangement and density of these pixels create the illusion of different shades.

E-ink Technology: E-ink displays, commonly found in e-readers, use a different technology. They rely on microcapsules containing charged particles to create black and white patterns.

In summary, color displays create a wide range of colors by combining different intensities of red, green, and blue light, while monochrome displays focus on displaying variations in intensity within a single color (typically black or white). The technologies and mechanisms employed can vary based on the type of display technology used.