Question

How rainbow is formed?

Answer 1

Refraction of Lights

1. Refraction is the phenomenon in which when light travels from one medium to another medium, it changes its direction of propagation slightly.
2. This occurs because each medium has a different optical density.
3. This causes the light ray to changes its velocity in different media.
4. White light consists of seven different colors that have seven ranges of different wavelengths representing each color.
5. When white light experiences refraction, it splits into seven different colors.
6. Since the wavelength for each color is different, the light will bend more or less depending on the wavelength.
7. This phenomenon is called the dispersion of white light.

Formation of Rainbow

1. During monsoon, there are water particles present in the air.
2. When rain occurs on a sunny day, the sunlight passes through these water droplets.
3. Sunlight is white light that consists of seven colors.
4. Therefore, when this white light experiences refraction through these water droplets, dispersion occurs.
5. These dispersed rays again suffer a total internal reflection from the opposite end of the water droplet.
6. After experiencing the final refraction from the surface of the water droplet, a rainbow is formed.