Angle of minimum deviation

Aim:- To determine the angle of minimum deviation for a given glass prism by
plotting a graph between the angle of incidence and the angle of deviation.
Apparatus:- Drawing board, triangular glass prism, metre scale, drawing pins, graph
paper, protractor, white paper sheet.
Principle:- The angle of deviation is the angle between the incident ray and emergent
ray. At minimum deviation light ray passes through the prism symmetrically.
Hence angle of incidence = angle of emergence.
Formula:- n = Sin (A + D)/2
sin A/ 2
where A is angle of the prism and D is angle of minimum deviation.
Procedure:-
1. Fix a white sheet of paper on a drawing board with the help of drawing Paints.
2. Draw a straight line xy with the help of sharp pencil nearly in the middle and
parallel to the paper.
3. Mark points O1, O2, O3, O4 --------on this straight line XY at suitable distance and
draw normal N1O1, N2O2 , N3O3, N4O4 ------- on these points.
4. Draw straight line P1O1 , P2O2, P3O3---- corresponding to the incident ray
making angle of incidence 35° , 40° ,45° --- respectively with the normal using
protractor.
5. Place the prism with its refracting face AB on the line XY with the point O4 in
the middle of AB.
6. Draw the boundary of the prism with sharp pencil.
7. Fix two points P1 and Q1 on the incident Ray line. Close one eye and look into
the prism. Look at the images of the pin P1 Q1. Fix pins R1 and S1 vertically on
the white paper sheet with tips in line with the tips of the image of P1 and Q1.
8. Remove the pins P1 , Q1 , R1 , S1 and encircle their pin pricks on the white
paper sheet with the help of the sharp pencil.
9. Join the points R1 and S1 to obtain the emergent ray. Produce it backwards to
meet the incident ray P1 Q1 at I1 Draw arrow heads on P1 Q1 and R1 S1 to show
the direction of the rays.
10. Measure the angle of deviation d1.
11. Repeat the step 5 to9 for different values of angle of incidence and measure
the angle of deviation d2 , d3 ----- with protractor.
 12. A graph is plotted with “ i “ along the x axis and deviation “ d” along the y
axis.Draw tangent on the lowest point of the graph parallel to x axis. Note the
angle of minimum deviation dm on the y axis.
Result:- Angle of minimum deviation of the prism =

Diagram:-

Observation :-
Angle of prism=60°

Sl No. Angle of Angle of

incidence Deviation