page_title: Dispersive prism
hierarchical_section_title: Dispersive prism
caption_attribution_description: English: Photo by Han-Kwang, 29 Nov 2006. This is a large prism made of SF10 glass.
context_page_description: In optics, a dispersive prism is an optical prism, usually having the shape of a geometrical triangular prism, used as a spectroscopic component. Spectral dispersion is the best known property of optical prisms, although not the most frequent purpose of using optical prisms in practice. Triangular prisms are used to disperse light, that is, to break light up into its spectral components. Different wavelengths of light will be deflected by the prism at different angles, producing a spectrum on a detector. This is a result of the prism's material index of refraction varying with wavelength. By application of Snell's law, one can see that as the wavelength changes, and the refractive index changes, the deflection angle of a light beam will change, separating the colors of the light spatially. Generally, longer wavelengths thereby undergo a smaller deviation than shorter wavelengths where the refractive index is larger.
  A good mathematical description of single-prism dispersion is given by Born and Wolf. The case of multiple-prism dispersion is treated by Duarte.
context_section_description: In optics, a dispersive prism is an optical prism, usually having the shape of a geometrical triangular prism, used as a spectroscopic component. Spectral dispersion is the best known property of optical prisms, although not the most frequent purpose of using optical prisms in practice. Triangular prisms are used to disperse light, that is, to break light up into its spectral components (the colors of the rainbow). Different wavelengths (colors) of light will be deflected by the prism at different angles, producing a spectrum on a detector (or seen through an eyepiece). This is a result of the prism's material (often, but not always, a glass) index of refraction varying with wavelength. By application of Snell's law, one can see that as the wavelength changes, and the refractive index changes, the deflection angle of a light beam will change, separating the colors (wavelength components) of the light spatially. Generally, longer wavelengths (red) thereby undergo a smaller deviation than shorter wavelengths (blue) where the refractive index is larger.
  A good mathematical description of single-prism dispersion is given by Born and Wolf.  The case of multiple-prism dispersion is treated by Duarte.
  The dispersion of white light into colors by a prism led Sir Isaac Newton to conclude that white light consisted of a mixture of different colors.
caption: Lamps as seen through a prism
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