What is the result of light entering a prism at an angle?

When light enters a prism at an angle, the primary physical phenomenon at play is refraction. Refraction occurs because light travels at different speeds in different media. As light moves from air (a less dense medium) into the glass of the prism (a denser medium), it slows down and changes direction. This bending of light is governed by Snell's Law, which relates the angles of incidence and refraction to the indices of refraction of the two materials.

In the case of a prism, the specific geometry of the prism causes the light to bend at the boundary between the air and the glass, and then again at the boundary when it exits the glass back into the air. This bending not only changes the direction of the light but also causes the light to spread out into its component colors—a phenomenon known as dispersion—if the light source is white light.

The other options do not accurately describe the behavior of light in this scenario. There is a clear change in direction due to refraction, light is typically not absorbed significantly as it passes through a transparent prism, and scattering does not occur in the same manner as refraction when light moves through a homogeneous medium like glass. Therefore, the correct response illustrates the fundamental concept of refraction and