REFRACTION AND DISPERSION OF

LUGHT THROUGH PRISM

ANGLE OF DEVIATION:

RELATION BETWEEN MINIMUM DEVIATION AND

REFRACTIVE INDEX:
DISPERSION OF WHITE LIGHT:

The phenomenon of splitting of white light into its component

colours ( VIBGYOR) on passing through a refracting medium is
called Dispersion of light.

Dispersion occurs because the refractive index for a refracting

medium is different for different colours ( wavelengths)

ANGULAR DISPERSION AND DISPERSIVE POWER :

2
Angular dispersion is the angular separation between the two
extreme colours (violet and red) in a spectrum

Dispersive power is the ability of the prism material to cause

dispersion. It is the ratio of angular dispersion to the mean
deviation (yellow).

RAINBOWS: It is produced by refraction, dispersion and total

internal reflection of sunlight by a spherical raindrop.
The two types of rainbows are: PRIMARY and SECONDARY
rainbows.