Dispersion of light

Mr. Borges Physics IGCSE Syllabus: 3.2(d) Core

Lesson objectives
In the end of this lesson you should be able to:
recall important facts about the wave effect called Refraction. recall important facts about the refraction of light. give a qualitative account of the dispersion of light as shown by the action on light of a glass prism.

Refraction of waves
When waves go from a medium to another with different densities, they change their velocity (speed) and direction of propagation.

Visible light is part of the electromagnetic spectrum

Because light can also be considered as a wave, it can also be refracted.

Refraction by a glass prism

A prism is a triangular block of glass or plastic.

The sides of a prism are not parallel, so when light is refracted by it, it comes out in a different direction. We say it is deviated.

Dispersion of light
If a narrow beam of white light passes through a prism, it splits in a range of colours called spectrum, as shown below.

Dispersion of light
It happens because white is not a single colour but a mixture of all colours of the spectrum (the colours of the rainbow). The prism refracts each single colour by a different amount. The order of the colours is always the same.

Dispersion of light
Notice that in the case of the prism, light suffers two diffractions, from air into the prism, and from inside the prism out to air again. Make sure that your diagram show that clearly.

Dispersion of light in natural conditions

Lesson outcomes
In the end of this lesson you should be able to:
recall important facts about the wave effect called Refraction. recall important facts about the refraction of light. give a qualitative account of the dispersion of light as shown by the action on light of a glass prism.