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Dispersion

Part of the Optics, Waves and Modern Physics section of Coddy's Physics journey. Lesson 5 of 53.

Glass has a slightly bigger index for violet than for red, so each colour bends differently.

A prism spreading white light

Violet bends most, red least: white light spreads into a spectrum.

In a vacuum all colours travel at c: no dispersion. A rainbow is dispersion in raindrops.

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Challenge

For violet light, a glass has n₂ = 1.53. Violet light in air reaches it at 45° from the normal. What is its angle of refraction θᵥ?

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All lessons in Optics, Waves and Modern Physics

1Reflection and Refraction

Reflection of LightThe Refractive IndexSnell's LawTotal Internal ReflectionDispersionApparent DepthRecap - Optical Fiber

4Mechanical Waves

What a Wave IsTwo Graphs of a WaveWhen Pulses MeetInterferenceStanding WavesHarmonicsRecap - Guitar String

7Photons

Light Comes in PhotonsThe Photoelectric EffectEinstein's EquationStopping VoltageCounting PhotonsRecap - Solar Cell

10Nuclear Energy

Mass DefectBinding Energy per NucleonFission and FusionRecap - Inside the Sun

2Plane Mirrors

The Image in a MirrorSeeing in a MirrorTwo MirrorsRecap - Periscope

5The Ripple Tank

Two SourcesNodal LinesHow the Pattern ChangesRecap - Two Speakers

8The Bohr Atom

The Bohr ModelEmission and AbsorptionSpectral LinesRecap - Hydrogen Lamp

3Thin Lenses

Lenses and Their RaysThe Lens EquationVirtual ImagesTwo LensesA Lens and a MirrorRecap - Build a Projector

6Light as a Wave

Light Through Two SlitsFringes on a ScreenDiffraction by One SlitThe Diffraction GratingRecap - Measure with a CD

9The Nucleus

Inside the NucleusRadioactive DecayHalf-LifeActivityRadioactive DatingRecap - Carbon Dating