How does a prism work?

A prism works by refracting light, separating it into its constituent colours.

When light enters a prism, it is refracted or bent due to the change in speed as it passes through the prism. This causes the different colours of light to bend at slightly different angles, resulting in the separation of white light into its constituent colours, known as a spectrum.

The amount of refraction depends on the angle at which the light enters the prism and the refractive index of the material the prism is made of. The refractive index is a measure of how much a material slows down light compared to its speed in a vacuum. This means that different materials will cause different amounts of refraction, resulting in different angles of separation for the colours of light.

Prisms are used in a variety of applications, including spectroscopy, where they are used to analyse the composition of materials based on the unique patterns of light they emit or absorb. They are also used in optical devices such as binoculars and cameras to correct for chromatic aberration, which is the distortion of colours that can occur when light passes through a lens.

Overall, prisms are a fundamental tool in the study of light and optics, allowing us to understand the behaviour of light and its interaction with different materials.