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
When white light passes through a prism, it refracts and separates into individual colors due to the phenomenon known as dispersion. Dispersion occurs because different wavelengths of light bend at different angles as they pass through the prism.
The distance between two corresponding points on adjacent waves of light. Different wavelengths correspond to different colors.
Refraction: The bending of light as it passes from one medium to another (e.g., from air to glass). This bending is responsible for the separation of colors in a prism.
Visible spectrum: The range of colors that are visible to the human eye when white light is dispersed. It includes red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.