Question

(a) A beam of monochromatic light undergoes minimum deviation through an equiangular prism, how does the beam pass through the prism, with respect to its base ?

(b) If white light is used in same way as in part (a) above, what change do you expect in the emergent beam ?

(c) What conclusion do you draw about the nature of white light in part (b) ?

Answer 1

(a) If a monochromatic beam of light undergoes minimum deviation through an equiangular prism, then the beam passes parallel to the base of prism.
(b) White light splits into its constituent colours i.e., spectrum is formed.
(c) We conclude that white light is polychromatic.