When using a spectroscopy how is the beam of light separated?

In spectroscopy, a beam of light is separated using optical devices such as prisms or diffraction gratings. A prism disperses light into its constituent wavelengths based on the different refractive indices for each wavelength. Conversely, a diffraction grating separates light by exploiting the interference patterns created when light waves pass through closely spaced slits. This separation allows for the analysis of the spectrum to identify and quantify various chemical compounds.