What optical phenomenon describes white light separating into spectral colors?

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Multiple Choice

What optical phenomenon describes white light separating into spectral colors?

Explanation:
Dispersion is the splitting of white light into spectral colors as it passes through a material because the refractive index varies with wavelength. Different colors bend by different amounts, so blue light refracts more than red, causing the colors to fan out into a spectrum. This separation is what gives gemstones their fire, especially when light enters and exits facets. Luminescence would mean the material emits light on its own, brightness describes how much light is present, and luster is the surface’s reflectivity—none of those describe splitting light into separate colors.

Dispersion is the splitting of white light into spectral colors as it passes through a material because the refractive index varies with wavelength. Different colors bend by different amounts, so blue light refracts more than red, causing the colors to fan out into a spectrum. This separation is what gives gemstones their fire, especially when light enters and exits facets. Luminescence would mean the material emits light on its own, brightness describes how much light is present, and luster is the surface’s reflectivity—none of those describe splitting light into separate colors.

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