prism: Quick Facts

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functions of a prism

$refraction of light through a prism$

prism spreading light

A diagram of Newton's prism experiment shows a beam of white sunlight entering a glass prism and emerging as a spread of colors labeled red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.

Diagram of prismatic binoculars with one side cut away to show internal components, including Porro prisms, objective lens, eyepiece, focusing thumbwheel, and the path of light rays through the device.

$refraction of light by a prism$

Understand the science behind the formation of rainbows

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Topics

Porro prism Nicol prism beam splitter optical system lens Mirror diffraction grating filter collimator microscope aberration Binoculars eyeglasses refraction

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optics: Introduction

Key People

Amici, Giovanni Battista

Giovanni Battista Amici

Italian astronomer