AL NOOR INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

GRADE 8: PHYSICS NOTES

CHAPTER: 7 LIGHT
7.7 DISPERSION

Dispersion of light

When white light is passed through a glass prism it splits into its spectrum of colours
(in order violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and red) and this process of white
light splitting into its constituent colours is termed as dispersion.
 The dispersion of light is illustrated by the refraction of white light by a glass
prism
 White light contains the wavelengths of all the colours of the spectrum
o Each colour has a different wavelength (and frequency), making up a
very narrow part of the electromagnetic spectrum
 White light may be separated into all its colours by passing it through
a glass prism
o This is done by refraction
o Violet light is refracted the most, whilst red light is refracted the least.
The different colours in the spectrum of light have different wavelengths.
Therefore, the speed with which they all bend varies depending on their
wavelength, where violet bends the most, having the shortest wavelength
and red bends the least, having the longest wavelength.
o This splits up the colours to form a spectrum
 This process is similar to how a rainbow is created

The visible spectrum of light

 Visible light is the only part of the spectrum detectable by the human eye
o In the natural world, many animals, such as birds, bees and certain fish, can
perceive beyond visible light and can see infra-red and UV wavelengths of
light
1
  The seven different colours of visible light waves correspond to different
wavelengths
 In order of longest wavelength and lowest frequency to shortest wavelength and
highest frequency :
o Red
o Orange
o Yellow
o Green
o Blue
o Indigo
o Violet

RECOMBINING THE SPECTRUM

The seven colours of a spectrum can be recombined to give back white light. Two
identical glass prisms are placed such that their refracting surfaces are in opposite
direction (placed inverted). Here the first prism disperses the white light into seven
coloured rays. The second prism receives all the seven coloured rays from the first
prism and recombines them into original white light. This is because the refraction
produced by the second prism is equal and opposite to that produced by the first
prism. The light coming out of the second prism will be white.
2
3
7.8 COLOUR

Colour addition – primary and secondary colours.

You can make all the colours of light with just three primary colours. The
primary colours are red, green and blue. If you combine any two of the three
colours you get a secondary colour. If you mix all three primary colours of light
you get whitelight.

 Red and Green light make yellow light.

 Green and blue light make cyan light.

 Red and blue light make magenta light.

It is not possible to make red, green or blue light using any combination of
othercolours. That is why they are called primary colours.

 Colour displays on televisions, computers, and phones combine

primary colours of light to produce the range of colours that you see.

4
COLOUR SUBTRACTION – FILTERS

 When white light passes through a coloured filter, some colours are
absorbed whilst others are able to pass straight through

A red filter allows only red colour to pass through it. The filter has taken away
allthe other colours except red. If you shine green or blue light through a red
filter then no light will get through. Your brain perceives no light as black.If
secondarycolours are allowed to pass through red filter only red colour will get
through it.

A blue filter allows only blue colour to pass through it. The filter has taken away all
the other colours except blue. If you shine green or red light through a blue filter
then no light will get through. Your brain perceives no light as black. If secondary

colours are allowed to pass through blue filter only blue colour will get through it.
A green filter allows only green colour to pass through it. The filter has taken awayall
the other colours except green. If you shine blue or red light through a green filter
then no light will get through. Your brain perceives no light as black.
If secondary colours are allowed to pass through green filter only green colour
willget through it.

5
Secondary filters

A magenta filter allows only red,blue and magenta colours to pass through it. The
filter has taken away all the other colours except these. If you shine green light
through a magenta filter then no light will get through. Your brain perceives no
lightas black.

A cyan filter allows only blue, green, cyan colours to pass through it. The filter has
taken away all the other colours except these. If you shine red light through a cyan
filter then no light will get through. Your brain perceives no light as black.

A yellow filter allows only green, red, yellow colours to pass through it. The filter
has taken away all the other colours except these. If you shine blue light through a
yellowfilter then no light will get through. Your brain perceives no light as black.

6
If you shine red light through a green filter, then no light will get through.

7.9 LOOKING AT COLOURED OBJECTS

 A coloured object absorbs all the colours of light except the colour that is
appears to be.
 Coloured objects appear different colours in different coloured light because they
absorb certain colours of light and reflect others.
An object looks white because all of the colours of light are reflected. An object
looks black because none of the colours are reflected. A red coloured object
absorbsall of the colours of white light except red. The red light is reflected into
our eyes and we see a red coloured object.

Coloured objects in coloured light

Red object Blue object Green object

Red light Red Black Black
Blue light Black Blue Black
Green light Black Black Green
Yellow light Red Black Green
Cyan light Black Blue Green
Magenta light Red Blue Black

7
7.7 THE EYE AND THE CAMERA
The eye is the human body’s camera.

 The lens is a small sack of jelly-like material

 Your eyeball is filled with a liquid that keeps it nearly spherical.
 The image formed on your retina is upside down, or inverted.
 Your brain, your brain makes the image the right way up.
 The light-sensitive cells of the retina are called rods and cones
 Rods are mainly around the edge of the retina and are sensitive to dim light.
 Cones are mainly found in the centre of the retina and they are sensitive to bright
light and colour. You can find out more about light-detecting cells in your.

The eye and colour

Your eyes can detect different colours of light because of three types of cones in your
retina.
 Each cone is very sensitive to either red, green, or blue light.
 This is why red green, and blue are the primary colours of light.
 The cones absorb the light, and semd a Signal to your brain.
 Your brain processes the signals and produces the colour image that you see.
 The human eye can distinguish between thousands or millions of different
colours, but it is not possible to know if someone else perceives the same colour
as you.
 Some people have cones that do not work properly, and they don't see colours
accurately. About 1 in 20 people (usually men) have the most common form of
colour blindness. They find it hard to tell the difference between red and green.
8
The eye and the camera

 Similarities between Human Eye and Camera

 Differences between Human Eye and Camera