A rainbow is formed in the sky after a rain shower due to the dispersion of sunlight by tiny water droplets present in the atmosphere. The water droplets act like small prisms, refracting and dispersing the incident sunlight. This process is followed by internal reflection within the droplets and a final refraction as the light exits the raindrop, resulting in the formation of a spectrum of colors.
What causes the formation of a rainbow in the sky, and how is it related to the dispersion of sunlight?
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Rainbows form when sunlight is refracted, internally reflected, and dispersed within raindrops in the atmosphere. Each raindrop acts like a tiny prism, separating sunlight into its constituent colors through dispersion. This dispersion is a result of different wavelengths of light bending by varying amounts as they pass through the raindrop. The internal reflections within the raindrop then send the separated colors back towards the observer, creating the circular arc of a rainbow. The sequence of colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet) is a direct result of sunlight’s dispersion, showcasing the connection between the formation of rainbows and the dispersion of sunlight.