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Dispersion is a phenomena that causes the separation of a wave into components with different frequency. It is most often observed in light waves, though it may happen to any kind of wave that interacts with a medium, such as sound waves. |
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# A phenomenon that causes the separation of a wave into components of varying frequency. # The fraction of atoms of a material exposed to the surface. Dispersion is a phenomenon that causes the separation of a wave into components with different frequency. It is most often observed in light waves, though it may happen to any kind of wave that interacts with a medium, such as sound waves. |
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The most commonly seen consequence of dispersion in optics is the separation of white light into a color spectrum? by a prism. From Snell's law it can be seen that the angle of refraction of light in a prism depends on the refractive index of the prism material. Since that refractive index varies with wavelength, it follows that the angle that the light is refracted will also vary with wavelength, causing the angular speration of the colors. |
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The most commonly seen consequence of dispersion in optics is the separation of white light into a color spectrum? by a prism. From Snell's law it can be seen that the angle of refraction of light in a prism depends on the refractive index of the prism material. Since that refractive index varies with wavelength, it follows that the angle that the light is refracted will also vary with wavelength, causing the angular seperation of the colors. |
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See also Abbe number. Dispersion also refers to the fraction of atoms of a material exposed to the surface. In general: :D = NS/NT where D is the dispersion, NS is the number of surface atoms and NT is the total number of atoms of the material. Dispersion is an important concept in Heterogenous Catalysis, since only atoms that are exposed to the surface are able to play a role in catalytic surface reactions. Dispersion increases with decreasing crystallite size and approaches unity at a crystallite diameter of about 1 nm. |
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