# overlay colors of particular text

\documentclass{beamer}
\mode<presentation>
\usepackage{amsfonts,amsmath,amssymb,graphicx,xcolor}
\newtheorem{thm}{Theorem}
\begin{document}
\title{...}

\begin{frame}
\titlepage
\end{frame}

\begin{frame}
\begin{thm}
$\sqrt{2}$ is irrational.
\end{thm}\pause
\begin{proof}

\begin{itemize}
\item\only<3>{\textcolor{red}{Suppose, for a contradiction, that $\sqrt{2}$ is rational.
That is, there are coprime integers $a$ and $b$ such that $\sqrt{2}=\frac{a}{b}.$}}\pause

\item\only<4>{\textcolor{red}{$\sqrt{2}$}}
\end{itemize}
\end{proof}
\end{frame}
\end{document}


I'm trying to make

Suppose, for a contradiction, that $\sqrt{2}$ is rational.
That is, there are coprime integers $a$ and $b$ such that \sqrt{2}=\frac{a}{b}.


Red in the third slide of the overlay and regular black in the fourth, however in the fourth it has just disappeared altogether. Why is this?

The \only-command will print the following content only on that slides, you define. So your \only<3> will print the sentence only on overlay 3. It is invisible on overly 4 and any following. Thus your problem, of not seeing the text.

If you want to have some special preparation on overlay 3 but normal appearance on ever other overlay, use the \alt command. If takes the set of overlays (in your case <3> and in the first pair of braces, you can define what should happen in that overlay. On any other overlay, the content of the second pair of braces is used.

See the beamer manual for further commands like \uncover, \invisible, \visible, ...

In your case, it is sufficient, to call \color{red} on overlay 3. As \color is a command, everything following will be in red color. The coloring will end automatically at the surrounding environment (here: itemize).

(I added a fifth overlay, to proof, that \color{green} does not affect anything outside the environment. If you want more control over the commands, you can of course use \textcolor{} or copy and paste the text, as shown here: \alt<3>{\color{red} text}{pure uncolored text})

MWE:

\documentclass{beamer}
\mode<presentation>
\usepackage{amsfonts,amsmath,amssymb,graphicx,xcolor}
\newtheorem{thm}{Theorem}
\begin{document}
\title{...}

\begin{frame}
\titlepage
\end{frame}

\begin{frame}
\begin{thm}
$\sqrt{2}$ is irrational.
\end{thm}\pause
\begin{proof}

\begin{itemize}
\item\alt<3>{\color{red}}{} Suppose, for a contradiction, that
$\sqrt{2}$ is rational.  That is, there are coprime integers
$a$ and $b$ such that $\sqrt{2}=\frac{a}{b}.$\pause

\item\alt<4>{\color{red}}{\color{green}}$\sqrt{2}$
\end{itemize}
\only<5>{Easy Peasy!}
\end{proof}
\end{frame}
\end{document}


Result:

You might want to use the \alert command

 \documentclass{beamer}
\mode<presentation>
\usepackage{amsfonts,amsmath,amssymb,graphicx,xcolor}
\newtheorem{thm}{Theorem}
\begin{document}
\title{...}

\begin{frame}
\titlepage
\end{frame}

\begin{frame}
\begin{thm}
$\sqrt{2}$ is irrational.
\end{thm}\pause
\begin{proof}
\item\alert<3>{Suppose, for a contradiction, that $\sqrt{2}$ is rational. That is, there are coprime integers $a$ and $b$ such that $\sqrt{2}=\frac{a}{b}.$}\pause
\item\alert<4>{$\sqrt{2}$}