Question

Sona was standing outside her house in the afternoon enjoying the light drizzle after the heavy rain. Suddenly she saw a rainbow in the sky. Sona called out her father and asked him what a rainbow is and how it is formed. Sona’s father told her that rainbow is an arch of seven colours visible in the sky which is produced by the splitting of white sunlight by tiny raindrops in the atmosphere. He also told Sona that a similar phenomenon can also be observed in a science laboratory by passing white light through a transparent object.

1. What is the name of the phenomenon which produces a rainbow?
2. Name the seven colours of the rainbow. Which of them deviates the most?
3. When the rainbow is formed, state whether the sun is shining in the sky or not.
4. Name the transparent object which can be used to observe the phenomenon similar to a rainbow in the science laboratory.
5. What values are displayed by Sona’s father?

Answer 1

1. Dispersion of light
2. The seven colours are Violet, Indigo, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, and Red, where Violet deviates the most.
3. Yes, the sun must be shining in the sky (it is always positioned directly behind the observer to see a rainbow).
4. A glass prism.
5. Sona’s father displays values of being knowledgeable, supportive, and encouraging.