Dispersion of Light Calculator

Dispersion of Light Calculator

Dispersion of Light Calculator



Dispersion of light :

Dispersion of light refers to the phenomenon where white light is split into its constituent colors, forming a spectrum. This occurs because the refractive index of a medium (such as glass or water) varies slightly with the frequency (or wavelength) of the light.

When white light enters a medium, each color component of the light bends (or refracts) by a different amount, causing the colors to separate. This effect can be seen in a rainbow, where raindrops act as tiny prisms that disperse the white light from the sun into its component colors.
The degree of dispersion is determined by the refractive index of the medium and the wavelength of the light. The refractive index (n) is defined as the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the speed of light in the medium.
The relationship between the refractive index and the wavelength of light can be described by the following formula:

n = c/v
where n is the refractive index, c is the speed of light in a vacuum (approximately 299,792,458 meters per second), and v is the speed of light in the medium.
The extent of the dispersion of light can be quantified by a parameter called the dispersion angle, which is defined as the difference in angle between the red and violet colors of the spectrum. The dispersion angle can be calculated using the following formula:
δ = (n_v - n_r) * A

where δ is the dispersion angle, n_v is the refractive index for violet light, n_r is the refractive index for red light, and A is the angular width of the spectral range being considered.
For example :

let's consider the dispersion of light through a prism made of flint glass, which has a refractive index of 1.62. The spectral range being considered is from 400 to 700 nanometers. Using the formula above, we can calculate the dispersion angle as follows:
δ = (1.62 - 1.54) * 42 degrees
where the refractive index for violet light is 1.62 and the refractive index for red light is 1.54. The angular width of the spectral range is taken to be 42 degrees. The resulting dispersion angle is approximately 3.4 degrees.
The refractive index :

is a measure of how much light bends (or refracts) as it passes through a medium, compared to its speed in a vacuum. It is defined as the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the speed of light in the medium.
The refractive index is an important parameter in optics, as it affects how light propagates through various materials. Different materials have different refractive indices, and this can lead to interesting optical effects such as the dispersion of light, which we discussed earlier.
The refractive index is typically denoted by the symbol "n" and is a dimensionless quantity. For example, the refractive index of air is approximately 1.0003, while the refractive index of diamond is around 2.42.
The angle of incidence :

is the angle that a ray of light makes with a line perpendicular to the surface it strikes. It is an important concept in optics, as it determines how light is reflected, refracted, or absorbed when it interacts with a surface.
When a beam of light strikes a surface, it can either be reflected or refracted (or both). The angle of incidence determines how much of the light is reflected and how much is refracted.
If the angle of incidence is zero degrees (i.e., the ray of light is perpendicular to the surface), then all of the light is transmitted through the surface. As the angle of incidence increases, more and more of the light is reflected, until a certain critical angle is reached, beyond which all of the light is reflected (this is known as total internal reflection).
The relationship between the angle of incidence and the angle of reflection (i.e., the angle at which the reflected light leaves the surface) is described by the law of reflection, which states that the angle of reflection is equal to the angle of incidence, measured with respect to the normal (perpendicular) to the surface.