College Physics
College Physics
10th Edition
ISBN: 9781285737027
Author: Raymond A. Serway, Chris Vuille
Publisher: Cengage Learning
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Chapter 22, Problem 1CQ
To determine

Why does the arc of a rainbow appear with red on top and violet on the bottom.

Expert Solution & Answer
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Answer to Problem 1CQ

Refraction through larger angles makes violet to appear at the bottom and the refraction through smaller angle makes red to appear on the top of the arc.

Explanation of Solution

The dispersion of light into a spectrum is most clearly visible in a rainbow. The phenomena behind the formation the rainbow is refraction, reflection and total internal reflection.

When a ray of light strikes a ray of light, it is first refracted at the front surface, with the violet light deviating the most and the red light the least. At the back surface, it undergoes reflection and comes to the front surface where the refraction occurs again. As violet refracts through larger angles, it comes at the bottom of the arc.

Conclusion:

Thus, the refraction through larger angles makes violet to appear at the bottom and the refraction through smaller angle makes red to appear on the top of the arc.

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Chapter 22 Solutions

College Physics

Ch. 22 - In dispersive materials, the angle of refraction...Ch. 22 - The level of water in a clear, colorless glass can...Ch. 22 - Prob. 9CQCh. 22 - Light in medium A undergoes a total internal...Ch. 22 - Prob. 11CQCh. 22 - Try this simple experiment on your own. Take two...Ch. 22 - Prob. 13CQCh. 22 - Prob. 14CQCh. 22 - A light ray containing both blue and red...Ch. 22 - During the Apollo XI Moon landing, a...Ch. 22 - Prob. 2PCh. 22 - Prob. 3PCh. 22 - Prob. 4PCh. 22 - Prob. 5PCh. 22 - Find the speed of light in (a) water, (b) crown...Ch. 22 - A ray of light travels from air into another...Ch. 22 - Prob. 8PCh. 22 - An underwater scuba diver sees the Sun at an...Ch. 22 - Prob. 10PCh. 22 - A laser beam is incident at an angle of 30.0 to...Ch. 22 - Light containing wavelengths of 400. nm, 500. nm,...Ch. 22 - A ray of light is incident on the surface of a...Ch. 22 - Prob. 14PCh. 22 - The light emitted by a helium-neon laser has a...Ch. 22 - Figure P22.16 shows a light ray traveling in a...Ch. 22 - Prob. 17PCh. 22 - A ray of light strikes a flat, 2.00-cm-thick block...Ch. 22 - Prob. 19PCh. 22 - Prob. 20PCh. 22 - A man shines a flashlight from a boat into the...Ch. 22 - A narrow beam of ultra-sonic waves reflects off...Ch. 22 - A person looking into an empty container is able...Ch. 22 - Prob. 24PCh. 22 - Prob. 25PCh. 22 - Prob. 26PCh. 22 - An opaque cylindrical tank with an open top has a...Ch. 22 - A certain kind of glass has an index of refraction...Ch. 22 - The index of refraction for red light in water is...Ch. 22 - The index of refraction for crown glass is 1.512...Ch. 22 - A light beam containing red and violet wavelengths...Ch. 22 - Prob. 32PCh. 22 - A ray of light strikes the midpoint of one face of...Ch. 22 - For light of wavelength 589 nm. calculate the...Ch. 22 - Repeat Problem 34, but this time assume the...Ch. 22 - A beam of light is incident from air on the...Ch. 22 - Prob. 37PCh. 22 - Prob. 38PCh. 22 - A light ray is incident normally to the long face...Ch. 22 - Prob. 40PCh. 22 - A room contains air in which the speed of sound is...Ch. 22 - Prob. 42PCh. 22 - The light beam in Figure P22.43 strikes surface 2...Ch. 22 - Prob. 44PCh. 22 - A layer of ice having parallel sides floats on...Ch. 22 - A ray of light is incident at an angle 30.0 on a...Ch. 22 - When a man stands near the edge of an empty...Ch. 22 - Prob. 48APCh. 22 - Refraction causes objects submerged in water to...Ch. 22 - A narrow beam of light is incident from air onto a...Ch. 22 - Prob. 51APCh. 22 - Endoscopes are medical instruments used to examine...Ch. 22 - A piece of wire is bent through an angle . The...Ch. 22 - Prob. 54APCh. 22 - Prob. 55APCh. 22 - Prob. 56APCh. 22 - Prob. 57APCh. 22 - Students allow a narrow beam of laser light to...Ch. 22 - Prob. 59APCh. 22 - Three sheets of plastic have unknown indices of...Ch. 22 - A person swimming underwater on a bright day and...Ch. 22 - Prob. 62AP
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