Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
A monochromator is an optical device that transmits only one color (wavelength) from a source containing many colors.
Related terms
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.