Question

In 3-5 sentences, describe the properties of light that allow the phenomenon in the pictures below to occur.

Picture of light moving through a prism.How many colors are really in a rainbow ...

(Picture sources: Wikipedia, Medium

Answer 1

The phenomenon of light moving through a prism demonstrates the properties of refraction and dispersion. When light passes through a prism, it slows down and bends due to the change in medium from air to glass, a process known as refraction. Different wavelengths (colors) of light bend at slightly different angles, causing them to spread out and disperse into a spectrum. This separation of colors results in the visible spectrum, which is what we perceive as a rainbow, revealing that sunlight is composed of many colors beyond our usual perception.