Dispersion of Light (Prism) — Interactive Diagram
See how a glass prism splits white light into the seven colours of the rainbow.
TL;DR: See how a glass prism splits white light into the seven colours of the rainbow.
Written & reviewed by the Syllab.in Academic Team (CBSE/NCERT subject experts) · Updated
Dispersion of Light (Prism): See how a glass prism splits white light into the seven colours of the rainbow.
Why it matters: Dispersion explains rainbows and proves white light is a mix of colours — a classic optics diagram and experiment.
Dispersion of Light (Prism) — Step by Step
- A beam of WHITE LIGHT travels towards a triangular glass PRISM.
- Inside the prism each colour bends by a slightly different amount (REFRACTION) — violet bends most, red least.
- The light spreads into a SPECTRUM — VIBGYOR: Violet, Indigo, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Red. This is dispersion!
Quick Notes — the Exam Crux
- Dispersion is the splitting of white light into its seven colours (VIBGYOR).
- It happens because different colours have different wavelengths and refract (bend) by different amounts.
- Red light bends the least; violet light bends the most.
- A glass prism produces a band of colours called a spectrum.
- This proves white light is actually a mixture of seven colours.
- A second, inverted prism can recombine the colours back into white light (Newton's experiment).
Remember It (Memory Trick)
White light splits into VIBGYOR through a prism because each colour bends by a different amount — red bends least, violet bends most. "Violet Is Bent the most."
Real-Life Example
After a monsoon shower, sunlight passing through raindrops splits into a rainbow — each drop acts like a tiny prism, dispersing white sunlight into its colours.
Test Yourself
Which colour bends the most and which the least when passing through a prism?
Violet bends the most; red bends the least.
What does dispersion prove about white light?
That white light is actually a mixture of seven colours (VIBGYOR).
Why do we see a rainbow after rain?
Raindrops act as tiny prisms, dispersing sunlight into its component colours.
📖 Read the full explanation of Dispersion of Light (Prism) →
More Visual Lessons
- A Simple Electric Circuit
- How We Hear (Sound)
- Electromagnetic Induction
- Refraction of Light
- Series vs Parallel Circuits
- Magnetic Field of a Bar Magnet
🤖 Stuck on any of these? Ask Syllab's free AI Tutor to explain step by step →