Gasoline and water have different densities and polarities, so they do not mix and form a surface separation. When gasoline hits the surface of water, it spreads across the surface to form a thin layer. This layer of gasoline on the surface of the water can refract light and create iridescent colors.
The reason for the appearance of rainbow spots is the interference of light. Interference is a phenomenon in which two or more waves passing through space can interact with each other, strengthening or weakening each other depending on the phase of the waves.
When light falls on the surface of a thin layer of gasoline, some of the light is reflected from the top surface of the layer, and some passes through the layer and is reflected from the bottom surface of the layer. The reflected light that passes through the layer can interact with each other and create interference.
Interference occurs because light is an electromagnetic wave that can have either a positive or negative phase. In interference of light passing through a thin layer of gasoline on the surface of water, the waves can be either in phase (with light amplification) or in antiphase (with light attenuation).
If the thickness of the gasoline layer on the water surface is equal to half the wavelength of light, then the reflected waves passing through the layer will be in antiphase, which will lead to interference and weakening of light. As a result, we will see dark spots on the water surface.
If the thickness of the gasoline layer is equal to a whole number of wavelengths, then the reflected waves will be in phase and amplify each other, resulting in interference and bright colors on the water surface.
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