Q: Rainbow is produced when sunlight falls on drops of rain. Which of the following physical phenomena are responsible for this?
Dispersion
Refraction
Internal reflection
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
a) 1 and 2 only b) 2 and 3 only c) 1 and 3 only d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer: Option (d)
When the sunlight falls on the drops of rain, each individual droplet of water acts as a tiny prism that both disperses the light and reflects it back to our eye. Since water is denser than air, light is refracted as it enters the drop. Some of the light will reflect off the back of the drop if the angle is larger than the critical angle (48° for water). Hence, option (d) is correct.
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