What is the primary function of a glass prism in basic optics experiments?

Explanation

A glass prism splits white light into its individual component colors through a process called refraction, since different wavelengths, or colors, of light bend by slightly different amounts as they pass through the prism’s angled glass surfaces. This separation reveals the familiar spectrum of colors, ranging from red to violet, that together make up ordinary white light, similar to the natural process that produces a rainbow. Isaac Newton famously used a glass prism in his experiments during the seventeenth century to help demonstrate that white light is actually composed of this full range of colors. Explore more Everyday Science MCQs on mcqstutor to keep practicing.