2025 · Q110
When sunlight (white light) falls on a triangular glass prism, a band of colours called a spectrum is obtained. Which one among the following represents this effect appropriately?
general-sciencephysics-light-electricity
- AReflection
- BDiffraction
- CRefraction
- DDispersion
Explanation
When white light passes through a glass prism, its constituent colours separate because the refractive index varies with wavelength — violet deviates most and red least. This splitting of white light into its spectrum is called dispersion. It is not reflection, diffraction or simple refraction. Hence dispersion is the effect.