Prism -- brightness of a ray of white light as it passes through a prism?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the behavior of white light as it passes through a prism, specifically focusing on the resulting brightness and spectrum produced. Participants explore the implications of the prism's properties on the light's intensity and spectral distribution.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note that each ray of white light contains a continuous spectrum, which is separated into a spectrum ranging from red to violet when passing through a prism.
  • It is mentioned that the intensity curve of the resulting spectrum corresponds to the original profile of the white light ray.
  • Some participants propose that the absorption and scattering properties of the glass affect the resulting brightness, although they suggest that these effects are negligible in the visible region.
  • A later reply emphasizes that the original post specified the discussion of white light, reinforcing the focus on this particular aspect.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the basic behavior of white light passing through a prism and the resulting spectrum, but there are nuances regarding the effects of glass absorption and scattering that remain less clear.

Contextual Notes

Some assumptions about the properties of the prism and the specific conditions of light interaction with glass are not fully explored, leaving certain aspects unresolved.

Judoliam
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What happens to the brightness of a ray of white light as it passes through a prism?
 
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Each white ray contain the continuance spectrum with its profile. After it is passed through prism the result is a spectrum from red to violet. This spectrum has a curve, intensity against wave length which is same to white ray profile.
 
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abbas_majidi said:
Each white ray contain the continuance spectrum with its profile. After it is passed through prism the result is a spectrum from red to violet. This spectrum has a curve, intensity against wave length which is same to white ray profile.

Yes, modified by the (wavelength dependent) absorption/scattering in the glass.
 
Yes. good point. Glass absorption also has influence to result, in here it's negligible because in visible region glass have no important absorption.
 
abbas_majidi said:
Yes. good point. Glass absorption also has influence to result, in here it's negligible because in visible region glass have no important absorption.

True enough, the OP did indicate they were talking about white light.
 

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