To demonstrate that white light is made up of different colors, you can perform a simple experiment using a triangular block called a prism. Here's how you can do it:
1. Set up a source of white light, such as a flashlight or sunlight, in a darkened room.
2. Place the prism in the path of the white light beam. Make sure the light passes through the prism and onto a screen or plain surface.
3. Observe the light that comes out on the other side of the prism. You will notice that instead of a single white spot, a band of colors is produced.
4. The spectrum produced by the prism will consist of the following colors, in order of decreasing wavelength, from left to right: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. This sequence of colors is often remembered using the mnemonic "ROYGBIV."
This phenomenon occurs because white light is composed of different wavelengths of visible light. When the white light enters the prism, it undergoes what is known as dispersion. This means that each wavelength of light is refracted (bent) by a different amount as it passes through the prism, resulting in the separation of the colors.
By observing the spectrum produced by the prism, you can visually demonstrate that white light is composed of various colors, each with a different wavelength.