Dispersion in a prism
White light passing through a glass prism separates into colors. Why does violet light bend more than red?
Answer B: explanation for every choice
A
Violet travels slower in glass, which is why its index is higher.
B
Correct. In glass, the index of refraction increases as wavelength decreases, so violet bends most. This is dispersion.
C
Red light has the longer wavelength.
D
Violet light has the higher frequency.
TakeawayDispersion: n depends on wavelength. Violet bends most.
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Reviewed 2026-11-05 by a medical student. Spot an error? Report it with question ID cp92.