CHAPTER – 21
DISPERSION AND SCATTERING OF LIGHT
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1. Dispersion –
Splitting of white light into its constituent colours.
OR
Variation of refractive index of a material with different wavelength.
2. Newton used a prism to show dispersion of light. `
3. Along with dispersion, ray is also deviated from its original path.
4. Angle of deviation
The angle between the incident light and the emergent light.
For each colour, angle of deviation is different.
The angle of deviation of violet light (δV) is greater than that of red light (δR).
5. Why no dispersion in glass slab ?
Both sides are parallel to each other. The light ray dispersed at one side get mixed at the
second face. The angle between the refracting faces of the prism is the reason for dispersion of
light.
6. Expression for angle of deviation
7. Angle of minimum deviation
As we increase angle of incidence, angle of deviation decreases.
But after certain point, when we increase the angle of incidence, angle of deviation
decreases.
The smallest angle through which the light is deviated by the prism is known as angle of
minimum deviation.
At angle of minimum deviation,
8. Relation between angle of dispersion, refractive index and angle of prism
13. Problems
Q:
Ans :
Q : The angle (refracting angle) of prism is 200 . Find the deviation caused by the prism if the refractive
index is 1.5.
A : Given A = 200 , μ = 1.5
We know that
Q : The angle (refracting angle) of prism is 30’ (30 minutes) . Find the deviation caused by the prism if
the refractive index is 1.6.
A : When using the formula, angle should be in degrees. So convert minutes to degrees. We know that,
So
Q: A prism has an angle A=600 . When light passes through it, angle of minimum deviation is found to
be 400 . Find the refractive index of the medium. (Given sin 500 = 0.766)
A:
Q : A prism has an angle 600 and refractive index is 1.414. Find the angle of minimum deviation.
A:
9. Factors on which angle of dispersion depends
a) Angle of incidence (i) – first decrease then increase
b) Angle of prism (A) - Larger prism angle → greater deviation.
c) Refractive index of the material (μ) - Higher refractive index → more bending of light →
greater deviation.
d) Wavelength (colour) of light – Higher wavelength → lower is the deviation
10. Angular Dispersion
Difference between angles of deviations for any two wavelengths (colours).
Angular dispersion between violet and red
11. Dispersive power
Ratio of angular dispersion to the mean deviation (that of yellow).
12. Formation of rainbow
Rainbows are formed by the dispersion of light through the suspended water drops in air.
✓ Sunlight should come from our back.
✓ Two rainbows are formed.
primary – brighter
Secondary – Lighter.
✓ Rainbows are circular in shape, but usually see only the half of it.
a) Primary rainbow
Formed by two refractions and one internal reflection.
Red colour on outer side and violet on inner side.
b) Secondary rainbow
Formed by two refractions and two internal reflections.
Violet colour on outer side and red on inner side.
14. Scattering of light in atmosphere
The process in which light rays get deviated or spread out from their straight path when they hit small
particles like dust or water droplets in the atmosphere.
Examples of scattering of light:
1. Car headlight in fog:
In fog, the tiny water droplets scatter the light from car headlights, so the path of the light
becomes visible.
2. Light beam in a dusty room:
When sunlight enters a dusty room, the dust particles scatter the light, making the beam of
light visible.
15. Process of scattering (Two processes)
i. Absorption of light
ii. Instant re-emission in all possible directions.
16. If the size of the particle is in the order (less than) of wavelength of particular colour, only that
colour is scattered. If the size of the object is high, all wavelengths are scattered..
17. Rayleigh’s law of scattering
Intensity of scattered light is inversely proportional to the fourth power of wavelength.
18. Why sky appears blue
• Atmosphere consists of air molecules, water droplets, dust particles.
• According to Rayleigh’s law, shorter wavelengths (violet, blue) are scattered more.
• Scattered light rich in violet and blue.
• Human eyes less sensitive to violet.
Note : Sky appears black from space. Because there is no atmosphere. There is no scattering of light.
19. White colour of the clouds
• Clouds are made of tiny water droplets.
• When droplets are larger than the wavelength of visible light, they scatter all colours
equally → appears white.
• Thin clouds scatter enough light to look bright white.
• Dense clouds have many layers of droplets.
• Multiple scattering inside them absorbs and reduces the light reaching us.
• Therefore, dense clouds appear dark or gray, especially at the bottom.
20. Red colour of the Sun at Sunrise and Sunset
• At sunrise and sunset, the Sun is near the horizon.
• Sunlight must travel a longer distance through the atmosphere.
• Shorter wavelengths (violet and blue) are scattered away by air molecules and dust at
about 90°.
• The remaining light becomes rich in longer wavelengths (red, orange).
• Therefore, the Sun appears red during sunrise and sunset.
• At noon, the Sun is overhead, so light travels a shorter path through the atmosphere.
• Blue light is scattered less, and most wavelengths reach the observer.
• As a result, the Sun appears white or slightly crimson.
21. Raman Effect
• When light scatters from a transparent substance (solid, liquid, or gas), the frequency of
scattered light may change.
• This change in frequency is called the Raman effect, discovered by C. V. Raman in 1928, for
which he received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930.
• The scattered light spectrum is called the Raman spectrum.
• It contains:
o Stokes’ lines → scattered light has lower frequency than incident light.
o Anti-Stokes’ lines → scattered light has higher frequency than incident light.
o
22. Explanation of Raman Effect
• Possibility 1: Light interacts without energy transfer → frequency remains unchanged
(Rayleigh scattering).
• Possibility 2: Light gives energy to the substance → scattered light frequency decreases →
Stokes’ lines.
• Possibility 3: Light interacts with a substance already in an excited state, gaining energy →
scattered light frequency increases → Anti-Stokes’ lines.