In optics, one important and familiar consequence of dispersion is the change in the angle of refraction of different colors of light, as seen in the spectrum produced by a dispersive prism and in chromatic aberration of lenses. Physically, dispersion translates in a loss of kinetic energy through absorption. Within optics, dispersion is a property of telecommunication signals along transmission lines (such as microwaves in coaxial cable) or the pulses of light in optical fiber. In optics and in wave propagation in general, dispersion is the phenomenon in which the phase velocity of a wave depends on its frequency sometimes the term chromatic dispersion is used for specificity to optics in particular.Ī medium having this common property may be termed a dispersive medium (plural dispersive media).Īlthough the term is used in the field of optics to describe light and other electromagnetic waves, dispersion in the same sense can apply to any sort of wave motion such as acoustic dispersion in the case of sound and seismic waves, and in gravity waves (ocean waves).
A compact fluorescent lamp seen through an Amici prism
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