JAMB - Physics (1985 - No. 32)
A narrow beam of white light can be split up into different colours by a glass prism. The correct explanation is that
white light is an electromagnetic wave
the prism has all the colours of the white light
white light has undergone total internal reflection in the prism
different colours of white light travel with different speeds in glass
white ligth consist of yellow, green and red colours
Explanation
When white light passes through a prism, it is refracted (bent) at different angles depending on the wavelength (or color) of the light. This is because different colors of light travel at different speeds in the glass, leading to varying degrees of refraction. This phenomenon is known as dispersion.
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