A glass prism splits white light into different colours. This phenomenon is called dispersion of light by prism. Which one of the following statements is correct?

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Q: 96 (NDA-I/2021)
A glass prism splits white light into different colours. This phenomenon is called dispersion of light by prism.
Which one of the following statements is correct?

question_subject: 

Science

question_exam: 

NDA-I

stats: 

0,22,5,0,22,3,2

The correct answer is option 2: Violet light will deviate the most and it is because of the refraction of light.

When white light passes through a glass prism, it undergoes refraction, which is the bending of light as it passes from one medium to another. The amount of refraction experienced by different colors of light is different because each color has a different wavelength.

The shorter wavelengths of violet light are refracted more than the longer wavelengths of red light. This causes the different colors of light to spread out or disperse, creating a spectrum of colors.

Therefore, violet light deviates the most, or bends the most, compared to other colors, such as red. This is because it has a shorter wavelength and is refracted more by the prism.

It is important to note that reflection is not the cause of this phenomenon. Dispersion of light by a prism occurs due to the refraction of light, not reflection. Reflection is the bouncing back of light when it strikes a surface, whereas refraction is the bending of light as it passes through a medium.

So, Option 2 correctly states that violet light deviates the most due to the refraction of light.