Physics
How would the dispersion of light change if the prism is submerged in water instead of air ? Will the spread of the constituent colours remain the same ?
Answer
When a prism is submerged in water instead of air, the dispersion of light decreases. This is because dispersion depends on the difference in refractive index between the prism material and the surrounding medium.
In air, the difference is large, so light bends more at the surfaces of the prism, causing greater dispersion. In water, the difference is smaller, so light bends less as it enters and exits the prism. As a result, the spread of the constituent colours is reduced.
Related Questions
What do you understand by the term spectrum?
A ray of white light is passed through a glass prism and a spectrum is obtained on a screen.
(a) Name the seven colours of the spectrum in order.
(b) Do the colours have the same width in the spectrum?
(c) Which colour of the spectrum of white light deviates (i) the most? (ii) the least?
Explain the cause of dispersion of white light through a prism.
Explain briefly, with the help of a neat labelled diagram, how does white light gets dispersed by a prism. On which surface of the prism, there is both the dispersion and deviation of light, and on which surface of the prism, there is only the deviation of light?