1.

Despersion
The phenomena of splitting of light into its constituent colours is called dispersion
of light. When a beam of light is made to fall on one refracting face of prism, it
splits into seven colours namely violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and
red. (VIBGYOR)

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- The pattern of colors components of light is called the spectrum of light and
the medium through which it splits is called dispersive medium.
1. Cause of dispersion of white light:
Light rays of different colors travel with the same speed in vacuum , but
in refracting medium like glass, water etc, lights of different colors travel
with different speeds. The speed of violet color is least while the speed of
μ
red color is the largest in glass. So, the refractive index ( C
¿
of glass is
v
¿

largest for violet and least for red color. Since angle of deviation of light
through prism is δ
¿
A
, so the violet color deviated most while the
( ¿ μ ¿−¿ 1 ¿ )

red color deviated least on passing through the prism. Other, colors are
deviated by intermediate angles.

2. Angular dispersion:
 The angular dispersion for two different colors of light is defined as the
difference between angle of deviation for them.
The angular dispersion between red light and violet through a prism is
δ
¿
δ V
−¿ δ R

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For a small angled prism, deviation produced by red and violet color of rays
are
δV
¿
A
( ¿ μV ¿−¿ 1 ¿ )
…(i)

And
δ R
¿
A
( ¿ μR ¿−¿ 1¿ )
…(ii)

Where, μV and μR are refractive indices of violet and red light respectively
and A is angle of prism.
From equation (i) and (ii), we get
A
δ V
− ¿ δ R
¿

(¿ μR ¿−¿ 1¿)
A
( μV − 1 )
− ¿

:. δV
−¿ δ R
= A
(¿ μV ¿−¿ μ R ¿ )

3. Dispersive power ( ω ):
It is defined as the ratio of angular dispersion between violet and red
light to the deviation for mean light (yellow). It is denoted by ω .

Let, angle of deviation of red light, δ R

¿
A
( ¿ μR ¿−¿ 1¿ )
 Angle of deviation of violet light, δV
¿
A
( ¿ μV ¿−¿ 1 ¿ )

And , angle of deviation of mean color of light, δ

¿
A
( ¿ μ ¿−¿ 1 ¿ )

So, Dispersive power ( ω )= δ V −δ R

δ
= A ( μ V −1 ) − A ( μR −1 )
A ( μ−1 )
= A (μV −μ R )
A(μ−1)

Dispersive power ( ω )= ( μV −μ R )
( μ−1)

4. Aberration of light in prism:

The deviation in the shape,SAMATA
size and position of the actual image formed
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from the image predicted by lens formula is called aberration.

a) Chromatic aberration in lenses:

An inability of a lens to focus all colors of light at a single point on
the principal axis of a lens is called chromatic aberration. The chromatic
aberration is measured by the difference in focal length between red
and violet colors.
So, chromatic aberration= −¿ fR
f V

Note: the lens can be considered as the combination of large number of

small angle prism. When light is incident on it, due to the prism action of
 the lens it disperses light and different colors are focused at different
point.

let us consider a white light is incident on a convex or concave lens parallel

to the principal axis. The violet color is focused nearer than red color and
other colors are focused in between them.
Let f
,
f
R

,
and represent the focal length and refractive
μ R

μ
,

f V μV

indices of red , mean and violet colors

SAMATA of light respectively. Then using lens
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maker’s formula , we have

1

…(i)
f
¿
(
μ −1 )

( )
1
1
R 1+
R2

…(II)
f R
¿
( μ R− 1 )

( )
1
1
R 1 +
R2

And,
1

…(iii)
f V
¿
( μV − 1 )

( )
1
1
R 1 +
R2

From equation (i)

( )
1
R

¿
1
1
R2
+
(iv)
1
f ( μ− 1 )

Using equation (iv) and putting in (ii) and (iii) and on subtracting them, we
get
1
f V
1
− ¿
f R
¿
( μV −1 )
f ( μ −1 )
( μ R −1 )
−¿
f ( μ −1 )
 f
−f V R

Or, ¿
f Rf V

μ V −1− μ R + 1
f ( μ−1 )
f R −f V

Or, f V f R
¿
μV − μR
f ( μ −1 )

f R

Or, −f V
¿
( μ ¿ ¿ V − μ R ) f ( μ −1 ) ¿
…(v)
¿ f V

f R

Since , focal length of seven colors are in geometric progression, so that ;

f
¿
√f V f R

Or, f
f
¿
2

V
…(vi)
f R

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From (V) and (vi), we get
f R
−f V
¿
( μ ¿ ¿ V − μ R ) f ( μ −1 ) ¿
2
f

f R

Or, −f V
¿
( μ ¿ ¿ V − μ R ) ( μ −1 ) ¿
f

:. f
−f

ω
¿
R

ω
Where, ¿
( μ¿¿ V −μ R ) ( μ−1 ) ¿
¿

Hence, chromatic aberration is the product of dispersive power and focal

length for mean color of light.

b) Achromatic combination of lens (removal of chromatic

aberration in lenses);
The combination of two thin lenses in which their combination is
free from chromatic aberration is called the achromatic combination of
lens.
Let us suppose two thin lenses L a n d L' of dispersive power ω

a
n
d
'
ω

respectively placed in contact with each other as shown in figure. Also,

let are the refractive indices of violet, mean and red color
μV

a
n
d

μ R

respectively and f V
, f a n d fSAMATA
are the focal length of respective colors of
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lens L. similarly, and are corresponding parameters
'
μV '
f V
, ,
μ '

, f
,
'
μ R
'
f R

of lens L' , then

For lens L;
Focal length of mean color is
1

…(i)
f
¿
(
μ −1 )

( )
1
1
R 1+
R2

Again,
Focal length of red color of light,
1

…(ii)
f R
¿
( μ R−1 )

( )
1
1
R 1 +
R2

From (i) and (ii), we get

1
f R
¿ …(iii)
( μ R −1 )
f ( μ −1 )

Similarly, for lens L' , focal length of red color light,

 1
f 'R
¿ …. (iv)
( μ R ' −1 )
f ' ( μ ' −1 )

For F R be the combined focal length of two lenses for red color, then
1
F R
¿
1
f R
1
+¿
f ' R

Or,
F R

f
¿
R− 1( μ
( μ −1 )
) …(vi)
( μR ' − 1 )
+¿
f ' ( μ ' −1 )

Similarly, for violet color of light , the combined focal length of two
lenses is
1
F V
¿
( μV − 1 )
f ( μ −1 )
…(vii)
( μ V ' −1 )
+¿
f ' ( μ ' −1 )

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F R
¿
FV

Or 1 = 1 (viii)
FR FV

From (vii) and (viii) we get

( μ R−1 )
f ( μ −1 ) = ( μV −1 )
( μR ' −1 ) f ( μ −1 )
+¿ ( μ V ' −1 )
f ' ( μ ' −1 ) +¿
f ' ( μ ' −1 )

( μ R −1 )
f (
μ −1 )

Or, (
μ V −1 )
−¿
( μ −1 )
f
¿
( μV ' −1 )
' ( μ
'
−1 )
f
( μ R ' −1 )
−¿
f ' ( μ ' −1 )

μ R − 1− μV + 1

Or, =
f ( μ− 1 )

' '
μ V − 1− μ R +1
' ( μ '− 1 )
f

Or, −¿ ¿¿ ' '

= μ V −μ R
¿ f ' (μ −1)
'
 ω
−¿

Or
f

¿
ω'
'
f

 ω'
¿
f
f '

which is the required condition for achromatic combination of two

lenses.

2. spherical aberration in a lens:

The inability of a lens to focus the paraxial rays and marginal rays at a same point
on the principal axis is called spherical aberration in a lens.

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It is the defect of lens due to which, all the parallel rays passing through
the convex lens are not focused at a single point on the principal axis and hence,
the image of a point object formed by the lens is blurred.
.
For the removal of spherical aberration in a lens, it is essential that the focal
length of a lens for each zone must be equal so that, rays incident on the lens
after refraction meet at the same point, Which is not possible in practice. So, in
practice the marginal rays meet nearer and paraxial rays father from the lens.
That’s why the spherical aberration in a lens cannot removed completely but can
reduced .

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