❓ why
Why is a prism able to split white light into colors?
Quick Answer
A prism splits white light because different wavelengths bend by different amounts in glass. This dispersion separates the colors into a spectrum.
The Full Story
White light contains many wavelengths mixed together. When that light enters glass, the speed of each wavelength changes slightly differently, so each bends at a different angle. Shorter wavelengths such as blue and violet typically refract more than longer wavelengths such as red. Isaac Newton famously used prisms in the 1660s to show that white light is a mixture of colors rather than a pure substance.
Key Facts
1.Dispersion makes different wavelengths bend differently
2.Isaac Newton’s prism experiments were done in the 1660s
3.Blue light usually bends more than red light in glass
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"Why does a glass prism make a rainbow from white light?"
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