INTRODUCTION

In optics, a prism is a transparent optical

element with flat, polished surfaces that
refract light. The exact angles between the
surfaces depend on the application. The
traditional geometrical shape is that of a
triangular prism with a triangular base and
rectangular sides, and in colloquial use
"prism" usually refers to this type. Some
types of optical prism are not in fact in the
shape of geometric prisms. Prisms can be
made from any material that is transparent
to the wavelengths for which they are
designed. Typical materials include glass,
plastic and fluorite. A prism can be used to
break light up into its constituent spectral
colors (the colors of the rainbow). Prisms
can also be used to reflect light, or to split
light into components with different
polarizations.
 PRISM AND NATURE OF LIGHT

Before Isaac Newton, it was believed that

white light was colorless, and that the prism
itself produced the color. Newton's
experiments demonstrated that all the
colors already existed in the light in a
heterogeneous fashion, and that
"corpuscles" (particles) of light were fanned
out because particles with different colors
traveled with different speeds through the
prism. It was only later that Young and
Fresnel combined Newton's particle theory
with Huygens' wave theory to show that
color is the visible manifestation of light's
wavelength. Newton arrived at his
conclusion by passing the red color from
one prism through a second prism and
found the color unchanged. From this, he
concluded that the colors must already be
present in the incoming light — thus, the
prism did not create colors, but merely
separated colors that are already there. He
also used a lens and a second prism to
recompose the spectrum back into white
light. This experiment has become a classic
example of the methodology introduced
during the scientific revolution. The results
of this experiment dramatically transformed
the field of metaphysics, leading to John
Locke's primary vs secondary quality
distinction. Newton discussed prism
dispersion in great detail in his book
Opticks. [1] He also introduced the use of
more than one prism to control
dispersion.[2] Newton's description of his
experiments on prism dispersion was
qualitative, and is quite readable. A
quantitative were introduced in the 1980s.
THEORY
HOW DOES A PRISM WORK?

Light changes speed as it moves from one

medium to another (for example, from air
into the glass of the prism). This speed
change causes the light to be refracted and
to enter the new medium at a different
angle (Huygens principle). The degree of
bending of the light's path depends on the
angle that the incident beam of light makes
with the surface, and on the ratio between
the refractive indices of the two media
(Snell's law). The refractive index of many
materials (such as glass) varies with the
wavelength or color of the light used, a
phenomenon known as dispersion. This
causes light of different colors to be
refracted differently and to leave the prism
at different angles, creating an effect similar
to a rainbow. This can be used to separate a
beam of white light into its constituent
spectrum of colors. Prisms will generally
disperse light over a much larger frequency
bandwidth than diffraction gratings, making
them useful for broad-spectrum
spectroscopy. Furthermore, prisms do not
suffer from complications arising from
overlapping spectral orders, which all
gratings have. Prisms are sometimes used
for the internal reflection at the surfaces
rather than for dispersion. If light inside the
prism hits one of the surfaces at a
sufficiently steep angle, total internal
reflection occurs and all of the light is
reflected. This makes a prism a useful
substitute for a mirror in some situations.
Angle of Minimum Deviation
The minimum value of angle of deviation, is
called angle of minimum deviation. It is
represented by the symbol Dm.
For same angle of deviation (D) there are
two values of angle of incidence. One value
equals ’i’ and other value equals ‘e’ As angle
‘i’ is increased from a small value, ‘e’
decreases from large value and angle of
deviation decreases. When angle of
deviation is minimum(Dm), then, ‘i’ and ‘e’
becomes equal.
AIM
To find out the refractive indices of
different liquids using a hollow prism

APPARATUS REQUIRED
 Hollow glass prism
 Various liquids like water, spirt and
coconut oil.
 Board pins
 Drawing board
PROCEDURE

 Fix a white sheet of paper on the

drawing board with help of drawing
pins.
 Keep the prism and mark the outline of
it as ABC.

 Drop a normal PQ on the side AB.

 Draw the angle of incidence in

accordance with the normal PQ and
place 2 pins so that they appear to be in
the straight line.

 Place the prism filled with given sample

of liquid ,on the marked outline ABC.
 Now take the pins and place them on
the side AC so that all the 4 pins appear
to be in same line.

 Remove the prism and draw the line

joining the points so obtained.

 Mark the diagram as shown in the

figure.

 Repeat this with different liquids and

different angle of incidence.
Observation
 Benzaldehyde
S.n a º(angle i º (angle of d º (angle of
o of prism) incidence) deviation)
1 60 30 45
2 60 35 42
3 60 37.5 40
4 60 39 42
5 60 40 45

U=sin((60+40)/2)/sin(30)
= 1.504

 Water
S.n a º(angle i º (angle of d º (angle of
o of prism) incidence) deviation)
1 60 30 25
2 60 35 22
3 60 40 20
4 60 45 22
5 60 50 25
6 60 55 28

U=sin((60+22)/2)/sin(30)
= 1.306

 Dil. Sulphuric Acid

S.n a º(angle i º (angle of d º (angle of
o of prism) incidence) deviation)
1 60 20 33
2 60 30 30
3 60 35 25
4 60 40 29
5 60 45 30

U=sin((60+25)/2)/sin(30)
= 1.351
Conclusion

Refractive indices at room temperature:

 Benzaldehyde
o Actual: 1.546
o Experimental: 1.504
o
 Water
o Actual: 1.33
o Experimental: 1.306
o
 Dil . Sulphuric acid
o Actual: 1.355
o Experimental: 1.351
Precautions

 Angle of incidence should lie b/w 35-60

degree.

 Pins should be vertically fixed and

should lie in same line.

 Distance b/w two points should not be

less than 10mm.

 Same angle of prism should be used for

all observation.

 Arrow head should be marked to

represent emergent and incident ray.

 Record your observation.