The Spectrum

Dispersion of light

The dispersion of light is the spreading out of white light into its component colours. This occurs when white light passes through a prism and is broken up into the seven colours of the rainbow.

 

The seven colours of the spectrum are:

  • Red
  • Orange
  • Yellow
  • Green
  • Blue
  • Indigo
  • Violet

Red light is refracted the least and violet light is refracted the most.