Question

The illustration below shows sunlight shining through a raindrop to create a rainbow.

image

Which statement most accurately describes what is happening in the illustration?

A.
Light enters the raindrop and is refracted, where it then reflects internally and is refracted again as it leaves the raindrop.

B.
Light enters into the raindrop and is refracted off the inner surface of the raindrop.

C.
Light reflects off the outer surface of the raindrop, where it reflects so many times that it creates a rainbow spectrum of colors.

D.
Light is distorted upon entering the raindrop but travels in a straight path out of the raindrop.

Answer 1

A.

Sunlight is refracted (bent) when it enters the drop, internally reflected off the back of the drop, and refracted again as it exits. Dispersion during the refractions separates colors to form the rainbow.