dispersive power

American  

noun

Optics.

1. a measure of the ability of a substance to disperse light, equal to the quotient of the difference in refractive indices of the substance for two representative wavelengths divided by the difference of the refractive index for an intermediate wavelength and 1.

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Example Sentences

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dispersive power

The second of these two expressions is generally given as the definition of dispersive power.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 5 "Dinard" to "Dodsworth" by Various

If the refracting angle of the prism is small, then the ratio of the dispersion to the mean deviation of the two rays is the dispersive power of the material of the prism.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 5 "Dinard" to "Dodsworth" by Various

This shortness in the latter cases is due to the small dispersive power of the three minerals mentioned.

From A Text-Book of Precious Stones for Jewelers and the Gem-Loving Public by Wade, Frank Bertram

Transparent media vary in their dispersive powers; for example, carbon disulphide has more than three times the dispersive power of crown glass.

From The New Gresham Encyclopedia Volume 4, Part 1: Deposition to Eberswalde by Various

Now, this sort of spectrum is greatly weakened by every increase of dispersive power, because the light is spread out into a longer ribbon and made to cover a more extended area.

From Astronomy: The Science of the Heavenly Bodies by Todd, David Peck