A monochromator is an optical device that transmits only one color (wavelength) from a source containing many colors.
Imagine a monochromator as a picky eater at a buffet. Out of all the different types of food (colors), it only chooses one specific dish (color) to eat (transmit).
Prism: A transparent optical element with flat, polished surfaces that refract light.
Diffraction Grating: An optical component with a periodic structure, which splits and diffracts light into several beams travelling in different directions.
Slit: A narrow opening through which light can pass, used in spectrophotometers to control the width of the beam.
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