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A student investigates the spectrum produced by visible light - Edexcel - GCSE Physics - Question 1 - 2011 - Paper 1
Question 1
A student investigates the spectrum produced by visible light. The diagram shows some of the equipment she uses: 
Answer
The equipment likely includes a light source that emits visible light, which could be a lamp or LED. A prism or diffraction grating is typically used to disperse the light into its component colors. Additionally, a screen is used to project the spectrum so the colors can be observed and analyzed.
Step 2
Explain how visible light produces a spectrum.
Answer
Visible light consists of various wavelengths, each corresponding to a different color. When light passes through a medium like a prism, it bends at different angles depending on its wavelength due to refraction. This separation of light into different colors creates the spectrum. The colors can be identified as red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet, commonly referred to as ROYGBIV.