Name: Primary Colours of Light
Uploaded: 2019-07-19
Duration: 5 min 33 s
Description: Did you know that certain colours are more important than the others? Also, certain colours can be derived using the others! This video explains why.

Question

What is dispersion of white light? What is the cause of such dispersion? Draw a diagram to show dispersion of white light by a glass prism.

Accepted Answer

The splitting of white light into its component colours is called dispersion.

All the colours travel in the same speed when they travel in vacuum. But when they hit a medium, such as a glass prism, the speed changes therefore, the colours bend or refract at different angles. Thus they emerge in different, distinct directions which seem like a spectrum to us. Red colour bends the least and violet deviates the most. In short, we can say that the cause of this splitting of white light into its component colours is due to the different speeds of the colours in the white light when it hits a particular medium.

The diagram for dispersion of white light by a glass prism is shown. This arrangement of colours is also known as the visible spectrum.

What is dispersion of white light? What is the cause of such dispersion? Draw a diagram to show dispersion of white light by a glass prism.

Important Questions on Human Eye and Colourful World

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