When white light falls on a glass prism, out of all its constituent colours, violet colour undergoes maximum bending. Why?
- AOption (a)
Violet has minimum wavelength and hence minimum refractive index
- BOption (b)
Violet has maximum wavelength and hence minimum refractive index
- COption (c)
Violet has minimum wavelength and hence maximum refractive index
- DOption (d)
Violet has maximum wavelength and hence maximum refractive index
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Correct answer
Violet has minimum wavelength and hence maximum refractive index
Why this answer is correct
The correct answer is Violet has minimum wavelength and hence maximum refractive index.

Key Points
- When white light passes through a glass prism, it disperses into its constituent colors due to refraction and dispersion.
- The bending of light depends on the refractive index of the medium and the wavelength of the light. Shorter wavelengths bend more than longer wavelengths.
- Violet light, among all constituent colors of white light, has the shortest wavelength (approximately 380-450 nm) compared to other colors like red, orange, yellow, etc.
- Due to its short wavelength, violet light has the highest refractive index in the glass prism, causing it to bend the most.
- This phenomenon is described by Snell's Law, which relates the angle of refraction to the refractive index and wavelength of light. Hence, the statement "Violet has minimum wavelength and hence maximum refractive index" is correct.

Additional Information
- Dispersion of Light:
- Dispersion occurs when different wavelengths of light separate due to different refractive indices.
- This is why white light splits into a spectrum of colors when passing through a prism.
- Refractive Index:
- The refractive index of a material depends on the wavelength of light. Shorter wavelengths have higher refractive indices.
- This property causes colors like violet to bend more than longer wavelengths like red.
- Snell’s Law:
- This law states that the ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence to the sine of the angle of refraction is constant for a given pair of media.
- The refractive index impacts the bending of light and varies with the wavelength of the light.
- Wavelength of Visible Light:
- Visible light consists of wavelengths ranging from approximately 380 nm (violet) to 750 nm (red).
- Colors like violet and indigo have shorter wavelengths, while red and orange have longer wavelengths.

Important Points
- Why violet bends the most:
- Violet light’s shorter wavelength causes it to interact more strongly with the prism material, leading to greater deviation.
- Its higher refractive index compared to other colors results in the maximum bending.
- Applications of Dispersion:
- Dispersion is used in spectrometers for analyzing the spectral composition of light.
- The phenomenon helps explain natural occurrences like rainbows, where sunlight disperses through water droplets.



























































