Introduction

 Refraction
Refraction is the change in direction of a wave due to a change in its
medium. It is essentially a surface phenomenon. The light wave bends
at the interface of the two media. Due to change of medium, the
velocity of the wave changes but its frequency remains constant. If the
light wave travels from a rarer to a denser optical medium, its velocity
decreases and it bends towards the normal, drawn at the point of
incidence. If the light wave travels from a denser to a rare optical
medium, its velocity increases and it bends away from the normal.

Refractive index, also called index of refraction, is a measure of

bending of a ray of light when passing from one medium into another
or the angle formed when the emergent ray is extended to meet the
incident ray. It describes how light or any other radiation propagates
through that medium.

n = sin i/ sin r
Refractive Index is also equal to the velocity 'c' of the light of a given
wavelength in empty space divided by its velocity 'v' in a substance, or

n = c/v

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  Refraction of light through a prism
Light changes its speed as it moves from one medium to another. In the
glass prism ABC, light enters through one face ab. It is incident at point Q,
making angle of incidence 'i' with the normal N1Q. As the light is moving
from a rarer optical medium to a denser one, its velocity decreases and it
bends towards the normal N₁Q, with angle of refraction 'r'. It travels in a
straight line through the prism. As it moves from glass to air at the point
of emergence, its velocity increases and it bends away from the normal,
with angle o emergence 'e'.

When the emergent ray is produced backwards, it makes an angle with

the incident ray. This is known as the angle of deviation 'D'. The
minimum value of angle of deviation is called angle of minimum
deviation

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  PQ is the incident ray.
 EF is the refracted ray.
 FS is the emergent ray.
 PEN = i = angle of incidence.
 >< FEN' = r₁ = angle of refraction inside the prism.
 EFN' = r2 = angle of incidence inside the prism.
 SFM= e = angle of emergence.
 BACA = angle of prism.
 FGHD = angle of deviation.

In Triangle EGF, angle HGF = angle GEF + angle GFE

So,

D= (i = r₁) + (e-r₂) ---------------(1)

D = (i + e) - (r₁-r2) ---------------(2)

In Triangle EFJ, r₁ + r2 + EJF = 180°

Quadrilateral AEJF is a cyclic quadrilateral, so

A+ angle EJS = 180º ----------- (3)

From equations (2) and (3),

A= r₁+ r2 ------------- (4)

And equation (1) becomes

D =(i + e) - A

Thus, D + A = i+e ------------(5)

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For the same angle of Deviation (D) there are two values of angle of
incidence, one value equals 'ï' and the other value equals 'e'. As angle
'i' is the 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' become equal.

The refracted ray EF is parallel to base BC.

Since i = e, we have

r₁ = r2 (n= sin i / sin r = sin e/ sin r2)

Hence, at minimum deviation, when r₁ = r2 = r (say),

We have,

A = r1 +r2= 2r
Or

r = A/2
Also, at minimum deviation, D = Dm and i = e

From relation, A + D = i + e

We have, A + Dm = 2i Or

i =(A+Dm)/2
From Snell’s law, n = sin i/ sin r

We have,

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This relationship is useful for determination of 'n' for prism material.

The angle of minimum deviation depends upon:

• Wavelength of the light ray(2)-The angle of minimum deviation is

smaller for shorter wavelengths and larger for longer wavelengths
so the "red" end of the spectrum deviates less than the "violet" end.
• Material of the prism (µ)-The larger the refractive index of the
material, the larger the angle of minimum deviation.
 Angle of prism (A)-The larger the angle of prism, the larger the
angle of minimum deviation.
 Angle of incidence (i)-The angle of deviation is dependent on the
angle of incidence in the form of a U shaped curve.

If a line is drawn parallel to the angle of incidence axis (X- axis), it cuts
the graph at two points, showing that there are two values of angle of
incidence for an angle of deviation. However, at the point of angle of
minimum deviation, the line will be tangent to the curves showing that
for minimum angle of deviation there is only one angle of incidence.

Application of refractive index:

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• To calculate the focusing power of lenses and dispersing power of
prisms.

• To differentiate between different types of gemstone.

• To identify particular substances, confirm its purity, or measure its

concentration.

It is used to measure the concentration of a solute in an aqueous

solution.

• It is utilized in ray-tracing to account for the radio propagation delay

due to the Earth's electrically neutral atmosphere.

• It is also used in Satellite link design for the computation of radio

wave attenuation in the atmosphere.

Experiment

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  Objective
(i) To investigate the dependence of the angle of deviation on the
angle of incidence, using a hollow prism filled, one by one, with
different transparent fluids.

(ii) To find the speed of light in the given transparent fluid.

 Apparatus Required

• Drawing board

• White A4 size sheets of paper

• Different liquids (water, kerosene oil, glycerin, vinegar)

• Drawing pins

• Pencil

• Half a meter scale

• Thumb pins

• Graph papers

• Protractor

 Procedure

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(1)Fix a white sheet of paper on the drawing board with the help of
drawing pins.

(2)Draw a straight line XX' parallel to the length of the paper nearly in
the middle of the paper.

(3)Mark points Q1, Q2,Q3………….. on the straight line XX' at suitable

distances of about 5cm.

(4)Draw normals N1Q1, N2Q2, N3Q3…......on points Q1, Q2, Q3.... as

shown.

(5)Draw straight lines R1Q1, R2Q2, R3Q3.... making angles of 30°, 35°,
40°, 45°, 50°, 55°. respectively with the normal.

(6)mark one corner of the prism as A and take it as the edge of the
prism for all the observations.

(7)put the prism with the refracting face AB in the line XX' and point Q1
in the middle of AB.

(8)Mark the boundary of the prism.

(9)Fix two office pins vertically on the line R1Q1. The distance between
the pins should be 1 cm or more.

(10)Look at the images of the points through face AC.

(11)Close your left eye and bring the right eye in line with the two
images.

(12)Fix two office pins vertically and 5cm apart such that the images of
the fixed pins and the pins being fixed are aligned.

(13)Remove the pins and encircle their pricks on the paper.

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(14)Repeat steps 7 to 13 with points Q1, Q2, Q3..... for 'T' = 35°, 40°, 45°,
50°, 55°.

To measure D in different cases

(15) Draw straight lines through the pin pricks to obtain emergent rays
S1T1, S2T2, S3T3.....

(16) Produce T1S1, T2S2, T3S3... inward in the boundary of the prism
to meet produced incident rays R1Q1, R2Q2, R3Q3.... at points F1, F2,
F3....

(17) Measure angles K1F1S1, K2F2S2, K3F3S3....These give angles of

deviation D1, D2, D3....

(18) Note the observations.

To measure A
(19) Measure angle BAC on the boundary of the prism. This gives angle
A.

Observations

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 Water

Angle of minimum deviation for Water, Dm = 22°

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 Kerosene Oil

Angle of minimum deviation for Kerosene Oil, Dm = 24°

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  Glycerin

Angle of minimum deviation for glycerin, Dm = 32°

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 Vinegar

Angle of minimum deviation for vinegar, Dm = 23°

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Calculation

Plot the graphs between angle of incidence 'ï' and angle of deviation
'D' by taking 'ï' along X-axis and 'D' along Y-axis for each liquid. From
the graph, find the values of angle of minimum deviation Dm
corresponding to the lowest point of the graphs.

The refractive index of transparent medium

n = Sin (A + Dm)/2 Sin A/2

The speed of light in the transparent medium is v=C/n

Where 'C' is the speed of light in air ( 3 X 108 m/s).

Result
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(1)The i-D graphs indicate that as the angle of incidence 'i' increases
the angle of deviation 'D' first decreases, attains a minimum value 'Dm'
and then again stats increasing for further increase in angle of
incidence.

(2) The angle of minimum deviation for:

 Water = 22°
 Kerosene Oil = 24°
 Glycerin = 32°
 Vinegar = 23°

Thus, it is observed that the angle of minimum deviation is least for

Water, it increase for Vinegar and Kerosene oil, and is the largest for
Glycerin.

(3) The refractive index of:

 Water = 1.31
 Kerosene Oil = 1.33
 Glycerin = 1.43
 Vinegar = 1.32

Thus value of refractive index is the least for Water. It increases for
Vinegar and Kerosene oil, and has a maximum value in the case of
Glycerin.

(4) Speed of light in:

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  Water = 2.29 x 108 m/s
 Kerosene oil = 2.25 x 108 m/s
 Glycerin = 2.24 x 108 m/s
 Vinegar = 1.74 x 108 m/s

The speed of light is the highest in Water, decreases for Kerosene oil
and Glycerin, and is the lowest in Vinegar.

Precautions
• The angle of incidence should lie between 30° and 55°.
• The pins should be fixed vertically.
• The same angle os prism should be used for all the observations.

Sources of Error:
• Pins prick may be thick.
• Measurement of angles may be wrong

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