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Light wave refraction and total internal reflection
To produce a laser light show, white light is split into its constituent colours through refraction. A prism is used to slow down different colours of light by different amounts causing them to bend through different angles. The amount of refraction is dependant on the angle the light hits the prism at. Beyond the critical angle, all the light entering the prism is internally reflected. This total internal reflection is the means by which an optical fibre can transmit information from one place to another.
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