When white light passes through a triangular glass prism, there is dispersion because of
Answer Details
When white light passes through a triangular glass prism, it separates into its constituent colors because of the difference in speed of the components of light, a phenomenon known as dispersion. The amount of refraction depends on the wavelength of the light, so different colors are refracted differently as they pass through the prism, causing them to spread out and creating a rainbow-like spectrum of colors. This happens because the refractive index of the glass prism is different for different colors of light. The higher the refractive index of a material, the slower light travels through it. Thus, the shorter wavelength blue and violet light refract more than the longer wavelength red and orange light. This phenomenon is the basis for many optical instruments, including spectrometers and rainbows.