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 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.
 Refraction:
In a homogenous medium, light travels along a straight
line. But whenever it falls on the surface of another
medium, a very small fraction of it is reflected back and
most of the light passes into the medium, though with a
change of direction. This phenomenon of the bending of
light at the surface of separation of two media is called
refraction of light.
Laws Of Reflection:
1. The reflected ray, the incident ray, and the normal at
the point of incidence all lie in the same plane.
2. The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of
reflection.
Laws Of Refraction:
1.The incident ray, the refracted ray, and the normal at
the point of incidence all lie in the same plane.
2.For any two given media the ratio sin i / sin r is a
constant (where i is the angle of incidence, r is the angle
of refraction). This is also called Snell's Law.
 Applications of Glass prism
Prisms are three-dimensional objects with two identically
sized and shaped faces and parallelogram sides.
Notebooks, ice cubes, and dice are a few everyday
examples of prisms. So, how are prisms used in the
world? Prisms are used for many purposes. Light-
reflecting and light-refracting prisms are solely used in
optical studies.
However, prisms are used in various fields, such as
architecture. They are commonly seen in telescopes,
periscopes, and microscopes, but scientists also use them
in research to explore how the human eye reacts to light.
In Optical Instruments: Because of their capacity to
distort and manipulate light, prisms play an important
role in designing a variety of optical equipment. Porro
prisms are a single unit of two prisms. They were
invented in 1850 and are named after their inventor
Ignazio Porro. This instrument pushes light back the way
it came from while reversing it vertically and
horizontally.
In Ophthalmology: Since the 19th century,
ophthalmologists have used prisms to diagnose and treat
esotropia, nystagmus, amblyopia, and exotropia. They
use prism-refracted light to examine the various
 components of the eye. It helps them identify issues
while detecting eye disorders or deficits. Prisms used to
treat disease assist the patient’s eyesight by redirecting
light into the eye. It is also used to make corrective
lenses for people with certain eye illnesses or vision
problems.
In Architecture: Prisms that manipulate light are common
in architectural designs. They are commonly employed in
planning and construction. Prisms are a shape frequently
used in architecture. For example, triangular prisms are a
frequent construction form in Sweden. The angles of the
building’s roofs encourage snow to shed instead of
accumulating. The very first skyscrapers were also
massive rectangular prisms. However, modern
architecture projects use rectangular, triangular, and
even hexagonal prisms, like the Petronas Towers in
Malaysia.
 Theory

A prism is a transparent optical element with flat,

polished surfaces that refract light. Prisms can be made
from any material that is transparent including glass,
plastic and fluorite. A prism can be used to break light up
into its constituent spectral colors. Prisms can also be
used to reflect light, or to split light into components
with different polarizations.
The refractive index of the liquid Is given by the formula:
µ =sini/sinr
µ = {sin(A + Dm)/2}/{sin A/2}
Where,
µ =refractive index of the liquid
a= the angle of minimum deviation
d=angle of prism
i=angle of incidence
r=angle of refraction

Experiment
Aim: To find out the refractive indices of different liquids
using a hollow prism and to find the speed of light in given
transparent fluids.
APPARATUS:
• Hollow glass prism
• Drawing board
• Pins
• Meter scale
• Protractor
• Sheets of white paper
• Various liquids
a) Glycerin
b) Water
c) Vinegar
d)Vegetable Oil
Procedure
A) For finding the angle of prism
• Take a piece of white paper, fix it on a drawing
board using board pins.
• Place the hollow glass prism on the sheet and
carefully draw its outline. Draw a normal and
carefully draw its outline.
• Draw a normal and an incident ray at an angle of
35 degrees with the normal on side AB of the prism.
• Fix two pins P1 and P2 on the incident ray which
are at least 5 cm apart.
• Fill the prism with water and place it over its
outline. Observe the refracted ray that comes after
refraction from the face AB of the prism.
• Fix two more pins P3 and P4 to cover the image of
P1 and P2.
• Obtained angles r1 and r2 and add them to obtain
the angle of the prism.
B) For finding the angle of minimum deviation
• Fix a white sheet of paper on a drawing board
using board pin
• Place a hollow glass prism on the sheet and
carefully draw its outline. Draw a normal and an
incident ray of angle of incidence 35 degrees on the
side AB of the prism.
• Fix two pins P1 and P2 on the incident ray at least
5 cm apart.
• Fill the hollow prism with water and place it over
its drawn outline. Observe the refracted ray which
comes after refraction by placing two more pins P3
and P4 covering P1 and P2.
• Extended the incident and refracted ray to obtain
the angle of deviation, D.
• Repeat the above procedure taking other liquids
and the angles of incidence as 40° , 45° , 50° , 55°
and 60°. Note the lowest obtained value of angle of
deviation as the angle of minimum deviation, Dm .
• Using the value of the angle of prism (A) and the
angle of minimum deviation (Dm), calculate the
value of the refractive index of the liquids by using
the equation given in the theory.
• Select suitable scales to represent the angle of
incidence along the X-axis and angle of deviation
along the Y-axis and plot a graph. The graph gives
the value of Dm, which is the minimum most point of
the parabola.
 OBSERVATIONS
s.no Name of the liquid Angle of Angle od
incidence deviation
1. 25
2. 24
3. 23
Water
4. 25
5. 55 27
6. 60 28

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 CALCULATIONS:
A) Refractive index of liquids Angle of prism (A) = 60°
Formula used: µ= {sin ((A + Dm)/2}/{sin (A/2)}
Water: Dm=23°
Therefore µ = sin 41.5 sin 30 = 0.6626 0.5 =1.3252
Vinegar: Dm=23.5°
Therefore µ = sin 41.25 sin 30 = 0.6593 0.5 =1. 3186
Vegetable Oil: Dm=34°
Therefore µ = sin 47.0 sin 30 = 0.7314 0.5 =1.4628
Glycerine: Dm=35°
 Therefore µ = sin 47.5 sin 30 = 0.7373 0.5 =1.4746
Sl.no Liquid Speed of light Speed of
(v)=c/n (m/s) light
(m/s)
1.
2.
3.
4.

RESULT
The refractive indexes of the four liquids were found
to
be as follows:-
• Water, µ = 1.3252
• Vinegar, µ = 1.3186
• Vegetable Oil, µ = 1.4628
• Glycerine, µ = 1.4726
The speeds of light in the four liquids were found to
be
as follows:-
• Water, v=2.26×108 m/s
• Vinegar, v=2.27×108 m/s
• Vegetable oil, v=2.05×108 m/s
 • Glycerine, v=2.03×108 m/s

Precautions:
• The position of the prism should not be disturbed on
the white sheet.
• There should be no parallax between the pins P1, P2
and their images P3, P4.
• The angles should be measured carefully.
• The curve of the graph should be smooth.

Sources of error
• Pin pricks may be thick.
• Measurement of angles may be wrong.

Bibliography
• Physics Class XII NCERT Textbook
• Comprehensive Practical Physics by Lakshmi
• Publications www.hyperphysics.com
• Google image