Prism

light · optics · rainbows · physics

Splits light into colors. When white light passes through a prism, it bends and spreads out into all the colors of the rainbow. Each color bends by a slightly different amount, which is why they separate.

Triangular shape works best. The most common prism is shaped like a triangle with three flat sides. The angled surfaces are what make the light bend in such cool ways.

Made from clear materials. Prisms can be made from glass, acrylic plastic, or even a mineral called fluorite, as long as the material lets light pass through it.

Not the same as windows. A window has two flat, parallel surfaces and doesn't bend light much. A real prism must have at least one angled surface to do its light-bending magic.

Bounces light in new directions. Prisms don't just split light into colors, they can also reflect and redirect beams of light to send them where you need them to go.