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When white light enters a prism, it can be refracted by different amounts in a process called dispersion. Explain what you would see when dispersion happens (1 mark) Enter answer.. __

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When white light enters a prism, it can be refracted by
different amounts in a process called dispersion.
Explain what you would see when dispersion happens
(1 mark)
Enter answer.. __

When white light enters a prism, it can be refracted by different amounts in a process called dispersion. Explain what you would see when dispersion happens (1 mark) Enter answer.. __

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MalcolmExpert · Tutor for 3 years

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When dispersion happens, you would see white light spread out into a spectrum of colors, ranging from red to violet, often resembling a rainbow.

Explain

## Step 1:<br />When white light enters a prism, it encounters a change in medium from air to glass.<br /><br />## Step 2:<br />The change in medium causes the light to refract due to a change in speed, which varies for different wavelengths of light.<br /><br />## Step 3:<br />Shorter wavelengths (blue/violet light) refract more than longer wavelengths (red light).<br /><br />## Step 4:<br />This differential refraction causes the white light to spread out into its constituent spectrum of colors, ranging from red to violet.<br /><br />## Step 5:<br />The resulting phenomenon is known as dispersion, and it creates a spectrum of colors, often called a rainbow.
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