The splitting of light is a physical phenomenon known as the dispersion of light. When white light passes through a transparent medium, such as a glass prism, it splits into a spectrum of seven colors:
| Violet, Indigo, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Red [Commonly remembered as VIBGYOR] |
This process, where white light separates into its constituent colors, is called dispersion.
Understanding Splitting of Light
Why does Light Split?
Dispersion occurs because the different colors of light have different wavelengths. When light enters a prism, each color bends (or refracts) by a different amount due to its wavelength.
- Shorter wavelengths (e.g., violet and blue) deviate more.
- Longer wavelengths (e.g., red and orange) deviate less.
Relationship between Wavelength and Deviation
Light’s degree of deviation (bending) is inversely proportional to its wavelength.
- Violet (shortest wavelength) bends the most.
- Red (longest wavelength) bends the least.
Example of Light Splitting in Daily Life
Rainbow Formation:
A rainbow is a natural example of dispersion. When sunlight passes through water droplets in the air after rain, the droplets act like prisms and split the white light into its spectrum of colors.
Glass Prism:
Passing white light through a glass prism in a laboratory shows a colorful spectrum due to dispersion.
Splitting of Light – Key Points to Remember
- Splitting of Light = Dispersion of Light.
- The process depends on the wavelength of each color.
- The colors of the spectrum always appear in the same order: Violet, Indigo, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, and Red (VIBGYOR).
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- Which is the Smallest Whole Number?
Conclusion
The splitting of light occurs due to dispersion, where white light separates into its constituent colors when passing through a transparent medium like a prism. This phenomenon occurs because different wavelengths of light refract by different amounts, resulting in the formation of a colorful spectrum.
