General Science • PhysicsMedium
What is the primary reason why primary rainbow formation involves both refraction and total internal reflection of sunlight inside spherical water droplets?
A. Sunlight undergoes a single refraction upon entering and a second refraction upon exiting without any internal reflection.
B. Sunlight undergoes refraction upon entry, a single internal reflection at the back surface of the droplet, and refraction upon exit.✓ Correct Answer
C. Sunlight undergoes two total internal reflections before exiting the water droplet towards the observer.
D. Sunlight is diffracted around the water droplet edges due to the large wavelength of visible light.
💡 Solution & Explanation
A primary rainbow is formed when white sunlight enters a spherical water droplet, refracts and disperses into component colors, undergoes one internal reflection at the inner rear surface, and refracts again as it emerges into the air towards the viewer at an angle of approximately 42 degrees. Double internal reflection produces a secondary rainbow with reversed color sequence. Rainbow formation proves that white light is a composite of seven distinct spectral colors.
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