Question

after a rainstorm, you see a rainbow in the sky. the sunlight enters the raindrops and is split into different colors. question: describe the processes of refraction and dispersion that lead to the formation of a rainbow.

Explanation:

Refraction occurs when sunlight enters a raindrop and changes direction due to the change in medium (from air to water). Different - colored light has different wavelengths and thus refracts at slightly different angles. Dispersion is the separation of white light into its component colors. As the refracted light of different colors exits the raindrop at different angles, a rainbow is formed as we see these separated colors.

Answer:

Refraction is the bending of sunlight as it enters a raindrop due to the change in medium. Different - colored light refracts at different angles because of their different wavelengths. Dispersion is the separation of white light into its component colors. When refracted light of various colors exits the raindrop at different angles, a rainbow is formed.