Questions Related to physics

Multiple choice physics spectra sunlight - white and coloured sunlight - combination of 7 lights fibre optics basics

Oil floating on water looks coloured due to interference of light. What should be the order of magnitude of the thickness of oil layer in order that this effect may be observed?

  1. $10^{-6}\ m$
  2. $10^{-2}\ m$
  3. $10^{-10}\ m$
  4. $10^{-8}\ m$
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Thin film interference, which causes the colors seen on oil slicks, requires the thickness of the film to be comparable to the wavelength of visible light. Visible light wavelengths are in the range of hundreds of nanometers, or 10^-7 to 10^-6 meters.

Multiple choice physics spectra sunlight - white and coloured sunlight - combination of 7 lights fibre optics basics

Fill in the blanks:

The phenomenon of splitting of light into its component colours is ____________

  1. diffraction

  2. scattering

  3. dispersion

  4. refraction

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Colours are often observed as light passes through a triangular prism. Upon passage through the prism, the white light is separated into its component colours - red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet. The separation of visible light into its different colors is known as dispersion.

Multiple choice physics spectra sunlight - white and coloured sunlight - combination of 7 lights fibre optics basics

State whether the following statement is True or False. 

You can see a rainbow only when your back is towards the sun

  1. True

  2. False

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

A rainbow is a meteorological phenomenon that is caused by reflection, refraction and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a spectrum of light appearing in the sky.

Now I won't get scientific, but apply your logic here.

Light which is reflected comes from the sun. So, rainbow is basically reflecting the light of the sun back. So think, how can you reflect something by staying at the same side as of the object you want to reflect?

Multiple choice physics spectra sunlight - white and coloured sunlight - combination of 7 lights fibre optics basics

When white light splits in seven colours, the phenomenon is called spectrum. 

  1. True

  2. False

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The phenomenon of splitting of white light into seven constituent colors is known as dispersion.

                           And, the band of seven colours obtained on the screen is known as spectrum.

Given statement is $False$.

Multiple choice physics spectra sunlight - white and coloured sunlight - combination of 7 lights fibre optics basics

Dispersion of white light into its constituent colours occurs during 

  1. Reflection at a plane mirror

  2. Reflection at a concave mirror

  3. Internal reflection inside a spherical drop of water

  4. Refraction at the boundary of a transparent medium

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Upon entry of white light at the first boundary of a triangular prism, there will be a slight separation of the white light into the component colours of the spectrum. Upon exiting the triangular prism at the second boundary, the separation becomes even greater and ROYGBIV is observed in its splendor. Hence, Dispersion of white light into its constituent colours occurs during refraction at the boundary of a transparent medium.

Multiple choice physics spectra sunlight - white and coloured sunlight - combination of 7 lights fibre optics basics

Dispersion of white light into its constituent colours occurs during

  1. reflection at a plane mirror

  2. reflection at a concave mirror.

  3. internal reflection inside a spherical drop of water

  4. refraction at the boundary of a transparent medium.

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Upon entry of white light at the first boundary of a triangular prism, there will be a slight separation of the white light into the component colours of the spectrum. Upon exiting the triangular prism at the second boundary, the separation becomes even greater and ROYGBIV is observed in its splendor. Hence, Dispersion of white light into its constituent colours occurs during refraction at the boundary of a transparent medium.

Multiple choice physics spectra sunlight - white and coloured sunlight - combination of 7 lights fibre optics basics

Line spectrum is obtained from the :

  1. Sun

  2. Filament of the bulb

  3. Mercury lamp

  4. Burning coal

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

As a light source, we will use a mercury lamp, which emits light at several discrete wavelengths. The device we are using is called a prism spectrometer because, once the prism is calibrated, it can be used to measure the wavelengths of the lines in the spectra produced by various atoms.

Multiple choice physics spectra sunlight - white and coloured sunlight - combination of 7 lights fibre optics basics

A piece of cloth looks red in sun light. If it is held in the blue portion of a solar spectrum, it will appear

  1. Red

  2. Black

  3. Blue

  4. White

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

A cloth piece looks red in sun light because it absorbs all the colours of sun light except red, red is reflected to our eyes.

When red cloth piece is held in only the  blue portion of solar spectrum, the blue light will be absorbed by red cloth and as there is no red light is to reflect, therefore no colour will be reflected back i.e. cloth piece will appear black.