Why does a prism separate white light into different colors?

When white light enters a prism, it is made up of different colors (wavelengths). The prism causes the light to bend (refract) at slightly different angles based on its color. This occurs because each color has a unique wavelength, causing them to refract unequally. As a result, the white light is spread out, creating a spectrum of colors. This process, known as dispersion, allows us to see the various colors of the rainbow. It's a fundamental concept in physics that explains how prisms separate white light into its component colors.