RAY OPTICS AND OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS 9.

67
931 REFRACTION THROUGH APRISM the face AB, and and ? be angles of incidence and
poinMt 50. What is aprism ? What do you mean by refracting emergence at the face AC. Let Abe the angle of the prism.
faces, refractingedge, base, angle of prism and principal From the quadrilateral AQNR, A+L ONR =180°
section of apris1m. From the triangle QNR,
Prism. A prism is a wedge shaped portion of a r++Z ONR =180° A=r+?
transparent refracting medium bounded by two plane faces Now, from the triangle MOR, the deviation produced
inclined to each other at a certain angle. by the prism is
The fwo plane faces (ABED and ACFD) inclined to each 8=Z MQR +Z MRQ-(i-r) +(? -)
alher are called refracting faces of the prism. 8= deviation at the first face
The line (AD) along which the two refracting faces meet + deviation at the second face
is called the refracting edge of the prism. =(i+i)-(r+)
Refracting D

edge ¿=i+i-A or i+i=A+ 8

Refracting Principal 1.e., Angle of incidence + Angle of emergence
torms
s. This faces A section
=Angle of prism + Angle of deviation
TrOT. Angle So when a ray of light is refracted through a prism, the sum
of prism
of the angle of incidence and the angle of emergemce is equal to
the sum of the angle of the prism and the angle of deviation.
Factors on which the angle of deviation depends:
Fa. 9.120 (a) Aglass prism. (b) Principal section of a prism. () The angle of incidence.
The third face (BCFE) of the prism opposite to the (ii) The material of the prism.
refracting edge is called the base of the prism. (ii) The wavelength of light used
9.119 The angle Aincluded bettoeen the two refracting faces is (iv) The angle of the prism.
called angle of the prism.
52.
Any section of the prism cut by a plane perpendicular to with thatDiscuss
of
the variation of the angle of deviation
tie refacting edgeis called principal the angle of incidence for a ray of light
section of the prism. passing through a prism. Derive an expression for
51. Discuss the phenomenon of refraction througha refractive index of the the
material
prisn. Derive an expressionfor the angle of deviation for angle of pris1m and the angle of
of a prism in terms of the
aray of light passing through an equilateral prism of minimum deviation.
refracting angle A. Variation of angle of deviation with angle of
incidence. Fig. 9.122(a) shows the path of a ray of light
Refraction through a prism : Deviation produced suffering
ge at a by a prism. In Fig. 9.121, let ABC represent the refraction through a prism of refracting
principal section of prism. A ray PQ is incident on face
angle 'A. Fig. 9.122(b) shows the variation of angle of
AB. As it enters the denser medium (glass), it
bends
towards the normal along path QR. The ray QR suffers
another refraction at face AC; bending away Normal
the normal, it emerges along RS. The angle of from
Normal
at Q at R
ôis the angle between the incident ray deviation
Let iand r be the angles of and the emergentray.
incidence and refraction at
A
Refracting edge Angle of B
Normal Refracting prism 5 (a)
deviation
med on at Q face
Cm.
of
Angle Normal deviation
ofAngle
ror will M at R

if the
nof the Incidentray
N
(b)
1
Fig. 9.121
Refraction through a prism. Fig. 9.122 (a) Aray of light passing
tion of angle of deviation S versus through a prism. (b) Plot of varia
angle of incidence i for a prism.
 PHYSICS-XI1
9.68
deviation 5 with the angle of incidence i. For a given Hence deviation produced by
prism and for a given colour of light, the angle 8 8=i+ i' - A the
prism is
depends on i only. As i increases, the angle of 6first
decreases and reaches a minimum value 8. and then
=urtur-A
-u(r+r') - A
increases. Clearly, any given value of ö corresponds to
=pA-A The
Con
two angles of inidence i and . This fact is expected or 6= (L-1l)A me

from the symmnetry of i and in the equation : Col

8=i+i-A ic., &remains the same as iand are Clearly, the deviation produced spe
interchanged. Physically, it means that the path of the ray Prism does not depend on the angleby ofa small
in Fig. 9.122(a) can be traced back, resulting in the same
angle of deviation.
The minimum value of the angle of deviation suffered by
depends on the angle of the prism and
index of its material. incidreefnraacnctega.int
the ligght
prisr
whít
For Your Knowledge colo
a ray on passing through a prism is called the angle of Aray of light suffering refraction
minimum deviation and is denoted by : bent towards the base of the prism. throughna prismis
Relation between refractive index and angle of
minimum deviation. When a prism is in the position of ’ The deviation produced by a prism is
minimum deviation, a ray of light passes symme
when the angle of incidence is 90°.
Bmay =90° +i'- A
maxirmum
trically (parallel to the base) through the prism so that For a small angled prism, angle of
i=i', r=r', 8=G,m 8 = (u - 1) A. But for a prism deviati
with larger refractine
As A+ 8=i+i' angle, 8=i+i'- A
A+6 =i+i or i= A+ Om There are two angles of incidence i and i' for whid
2
ray of light passing through a prism deviates thro
Also A=r+r' =r+r=2r the same angle 8.
A There is one and only one angle of incidence for san

which the angle of deviation is minimum. Pla

the
From Snell's law, the refractive index of the The deviation [5= (u - 1) A] produced by a prism of
to
material of the prism will be small angle is independent of the angle of incidence fra
Moreover, this expression indicates that thin sheets of
sin í
sin A+om glass (A 0) cannot deviate light rays.
See

Or 2 the
sin r A the
sin
2 9.33 DISPERSION OF WHITE LIGHT lig
By measuring the values of Aand with the 54. What is dispersion of light ? Explain it with a ray di

help of a spectrometer, the refractive index u of the diagram. Also explain the cause of dispersion of light.
prism glass can be determined accurately. Dispersion of white light. When a narrow beam of
as

sunlight is incident on a glass prism, the emergent light

9.32 DEVIATION THROUGH A PRISM OF when made to fall on a screen shows several coloured (
W
SMALL ANGLE bands. Broadly, the component colours are in the b
violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange
53. Derive an expression for the angle of deviation ofa sequence:(given d
small prism in terms of the refractive index and the angle and red by the acronym VIBGYOR). The red the
colour bends the least and the violet colour bends
of the prism.
most, as shown in Fig. 9.123.
Deviation produced by a prismn of small angle.a
at
Refer to Fig. 9.117(a). Suppose the light is incident will
small angle i on the prism, then angles r, and i Sereen
also be small. Red
For refraction at face AB, we have White
Orange
Yellow
sini i i=ur Glass
Green
light Blue
sin r prism Indigo
have Violet
For refraction at face AC, we
sín í' i'
light by a glass prism.
sin r ' Fig. 9.123 Dispersion of white
 RAY OPTICS AND OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS
9,69
phenomenon of spltting of white ight into its Thus the red colour is deviated the least and the
The
omponent colours on passing through a refrocting violet is deviated the most.
medumls colledI dispersion of light. The pattern of the by angles between 6, and Other 6,
colours are deviated
coloured bands obtained on the screen is called contained in white light emerge So different colours
from
in different directions due to their the glass prism
petrum. different wave
Newton's dassic experiment on dispersion of white lengths, which is called dispersion.
light. It Can be easily seen from experiments that a Table 9.2 Refroctive Indices for
separates the colours already present in
prism only
light but the prism itself does not create any
Different Wavelengths
white
colour. Colour Wavelength A Crown gass Flunt glas
Screen
Violet 3969 1533 1663
Blue 4861 1523 1639
P Whitelight
Yellow 5893 1.517 1627
R
White
li_ght Red 6563 1515 1622

55. What are dispersive and non-dispersie media ?

P Give examples.
Dispersive media. In some refracting media,
Fig. 9.124 Recombination of white light. different colours of light travel with different speeds.
The variation of refractive index with wavelength is
These media which
As shown in Fig. 9.124, take two prisms P, P, of the highiy pronounced for such media.
bring about a good dispersion of white light are called
same glass material| and of same refracting angle (A) dispersive media. For
Placethe second prism P upside down with respect to example, glass, quartz, etc
the first prism P. Allow a narrow beam of white light Non-dispersive media. In vacuum, all colours of
to fall on the prism P and observe the emergent beam light travel with the same speed. So the refractive
from prism P on a screen. A patch of white light is index of vacuum is indeperndent of wavelength. White
oRn on the screen. Clearly, the first prism disperses light does not undergo dispersion in vacuum. Such a
the white light into its component colours, which are medium is called a non-dispersive medium.
then recombined by the inverted prism into white ANGULAR DISPERSION AND
light. This proves that white light itself consists of .54
DISPERSIVE POWER
different colourswhich are just dispersed by the prism.
Cause of dispersion. Each colour of light is 56. Define angular dispersion and dispersive pouwer.
associated with a definite wavelength. In the visible Write expression for these quantities in ters of
spectrum, red light is at the long wavelength end refractive index.
(-700nm) while the violet light is at the short Angular dispersion and dispersive power. When a
wavelength end (-400nm), Dispersion takes place beam of white light passes through a prism, it gets
because the refractive index of the refracting medium is dispersed into its constituent colours. Let &y, Q, and &
diferent for different wavelengths. The refractive index be the angles of deviation for violet, red and yellow
oamaterial
relation : for wavelength Ais given by the Cauchy's (mean) colours espectively, as shown in Fig. 9.125.
b C
=a+

Where a, b and c are constants, the values of which

depend on the nature of the material. Also, for a
White
Small-angled prism, the angle of deviation is given by light
8= A(1 -1)
Now d> violet
red violet and hence <yiolet Fig. 9.125 Angular dispersion.
 PHYSICS-XI|
9.70
Examples based on
Then ðy =(4y -1) A Refraction and Dispersion of Light
SR =(H-1) A through a Prism
8= (u -1) A
Formulae Used
where uy,Hp and u are the refractive indices of the
prism material for violet, red and yellow (mean) 1. For refraction through a prism,
colours, respectively. A+8=i+i and r+r'=A
The angular separation between the two extreme 2. In the condition of minimum deviation,
colours (uiolet and red) in the spectrum is called the Sin A+ 2Om
angular dispersion. i=i, r=t, 6= 6mi H = A
:. Angular dispersion sin
2

3. Deviation produced by aprism of small angle.

=(My -1) A-(4g -1) A=(4y -Hg) A 8-(u 1) A
Clearly, the angular dispersion produced by a
prism depends upon () angle of the prism and 4. Angular dispersion =ôy-öR =(Hy-H) A
(i) nature of the material of the prism. 5. Dispersive power, 0=
Dispersive power is the ability of the prism material to -1
cause dispersion. It is defined as the ratio of the angular 6. Mean deviation, §=
dispersion to the mnean deviation. 2

:. Dispersive power, 7. Mean refractive index u V2R

Angular dispersion
Mean deviation Units Used
(Hy -1) A-(HR -1) A Angles i, i, r, r, A, &, Ô oy and o are in degrees;
(4 -1) A dispersive power o and refractive indices , ,
and u have no units.
or )=
-1 Example 92. Calculate the refractive index of the materid
of an equilateral prism for which the angle of minimum
For Your Knowledge deviation is 60°. (CBSE SP 98]
The refractive index (u) of any material for yellow Solution. For an equilateral prism, A =60°.
light is equal to the mean of the refractive indices for
Also Ôm =60o
the violet and red lights, i.e.,
HytR .. Refractive index of the prismn material is
A+ Ôm 60°+ 60°
That is why yellow light is called mean light and its
deviation is called mean deviation, which is given by
Sin

sin
A
2
sin

sin
2
60°
sin 60°
sin 30° 32-5.
2 1
2 2
8=
2
Due to its small wavelength, violet light is harmful to
Example 93. A ray of light passes through an equilaterd
our eyes. So in experiments, angular dispersion and glass prism, such that the angle of incidence is equal to the
dispersive power of a material are measured for blue 3/4 times t
angle of emergence. If the angle of emergence isdeviation
angle of the prism, calculate (i) the angle of amd
and red lights. Thus [CBSE OD 13d
(i1) the refractive index of the glass prism.
-1 Solution. (i) Here A=60°, i=l= 4 A=45°, =!
> The dispersive power depends on the nature of the As A+8= i+i
material of the prism and not on its refracting angle, 8=90°-60° =30°.
A However, both angular dispersion and mean 60 + S= 45° + 45° or
60° + 30°
deviation also depend on the angle of the prism. sin
A+ S sin 2
+ Greater the dispersive power of a material, larger is the (i) 2 Sin600
spread ofa spectrum produced by the prism of the A
material.
Sn 2

Dispersive power of flint glass is more than that of sin 45° 1/N22=1.414.
crown glass. sin 30° 1/2