INTRODUCTION

In optics, a prism is a transparent optical element with

flat, polished surfaces that refracts 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. Prism can be used to break light up into its
constituent spectral colors (the colours of the
rainbow). Prisms can also be used to reflect light, or
to split light into components with different
polarizations.
 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 second prism
and found the color unchanged. From this, he
concluded that the colors must already be present
in the incoming light and white light consists of a
collection of colors.
 As the white light passes through the triangular
prism, the light separates into the collection of
colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and
violet. This collection of colors formed by the
prism is called the spectrum. The separation of
white light into its spectrum is known as
dispersion.
Dispersion occurs because each color travels
through the prism at different speeds. Violet
travels the slowest through the prism; hence we
can see it refracting the most. On the other hand,
red passes through at a much fast rate which
makes its angle of refraction less, hence red is too
scarce to be seen.
 EXPERIMENTAL SETUP
AIM: - To investigate the dependence, of the angle
of deviation on the angle of incidence, using a
hallow prism filled, one by one, with different
transparent fluids.

APPARATUS: - Drawing board, white sheets of

paper, hollow prism, different liquids (water,
kerosene oil, etc), drawing pins, pencil, half meter
scale, thump pins, graph papers and a protractor.

THEORY: - Refraction of Light through a Prism –

Diagram shows section ABC of a prism taken by a

vertical plane, perpendicular to the edge.
BC is the base of the prism and AB and AC are its
two refracting surfaces.

RQ is the incident ray.

QS is the refracted ray.
ST is the emergent ray.
RQN1 = i = angle of incidence
SQN3 = r1 = angle of refraction inside prism
QSN3 = r2 = angle of incidence inside prism
TSN2 = e = angle of emergence
BAC = A = angle of prism
SFK = D = angle of deviation
 In QFS, KFS = FQS + FSQ
D = (i – r1) + (e – r2)

D = i + e – (r1 + r2) … (1)

In QS1N3, r1 + r2 + QN3S = 180⁰ … (2)

The quadrilateral AQN3S is cyclic quadrilateral,

then A + QN3S = 180 … (3)

From (2) and (3)

A = r1 + r2 … (4)

Eq. (1) become D = i + e - A

D + A = i + e … (5)
ANGLE OF MINIMUM DEVIATION: -
 Definition: The minimum value of angle of
deviation is called angle of minimum deviation. It is
represented by the symbol Dm.
 Explanation: 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.
The refracted ray QS goes parallel to base BC.
Since i = e, we have r1 = r2.
Hence, at minimum deviation, when r1 = r2 = r
We have A = r1 + r2 = r + r = 2r ⇒ r = A/2
Also, at minimum deviation, D = Dm and i = e
from relation, A + D = i + e
 We have, A + Dm = i + i = 2i
⇒ i = A+ Dm /2
From Snell’s law, n = sin i/sin r

We have
This relation is useful for determination of n for
Prism material.
DIAGRAM
PROCEDURE: