Which color of light bends the most when passing through a prism?

The choice of violet as the color of light that bends the most when passing through a prism is based on the principles of refraction and the behavior of different wavelengths of light. Understanding how light bends when entering and exiting a prism involves the concept of wavelength; shorter wavelengths bend more than longer wavelengths.

Violet light has a shorter wavelength compared to the other colors listed. When light passes from one medium (like air) into another medium (like glass in the prism), it changes speed, causing it to bend. Since violet light is one of the shortest wavelengths in the visible spectrum, it experiences a greater change in speed, leading to a larger angle of refraction. This results in violet light bending more sharply than colors with longer wavelengths, such as red, green, or blue.

In summary, the bending of light in a prism is influenced by the wavelength of the light, with shorter wavelengths bending more significantly. Therefore, violet light, being the shortest in this context, indeed bends the most.