Correct Option
The correct option is (c).
Explanation
Light exhibits various optical phenomena including reflection, refraction, and dispersion. White light is a combination of multiple wavelengths (colors), and specific interactions with media can separate these components.
Statement-wise Analysis
- Statement 1 is Correct: Sunlight is composed of a mixture of seven primary colors (VIBGYOR). When these wavelengths are combined, they are perceived by the human eye as white. Consequently, sunlight is technically referred to as white light.
- Statement 2 is Incorrect: The phenomenon of splitting white light into its constituent colors is defined as dispersion. Lateral inversion, conversely, refers to the phenomenon observed in plane mirrors where the left side of an object appears as the right side in the image, and vice versa.
- Statement 3 is Correct: A rainbow is a natural phenomenon that demonstrates dispersion. It occurs when sunlight interacts with tiny water droplets in the atmosphere. These droplets function as small prisms; they refract and disperse the incident sunlight, reflect it internally, and refract it again as it exits, creating a spectrum of colors in the sky.
Key Takeaway
Dispersion is the separation of white light into its spectral components (colors), while lateral inversion is the geometric reversal of an image (left-to-right) typically seen in mirrors.