Refraction through prism
A transparent medium bounded by three rectangular surfaces
whose upper and lower surfaces are triangular is called a prism.
The rectangular plane surfaces of a prism are called reflecting
faces and the angle between any two reflecting faces is called
reflecting angle (or simply angle) of a prism
The line where the two reflecting surfaces meet is called
reflecting edge of the prism.
Deviation of light by the prism:
Deviation:- when light travels from one transparent
homogeneous medium into another transparent homogeneous
medium, then it bends from its path. This phenomenon is called
deviation. The angle at which light bends is called angle of
deviation and the least value of angle of deviation is called
angle of minimum deviation. The angle of deviation is
measured as an angle between the emergent ray and original
direction of incident ray.
Let us consider light ray PQ incident on the face XY of prism
with an angle i and finally emerges out along RS.r1 and r2 are the
angle of refractions for the prism. The angle of deviation δ of
light caused by the prism is the angle between the direction of
incident ray and emergent ray.
The angle of deviation produced at the first face
δ1 = TQR
= TQN - RQN
= i – r1
Similarly
δ2 = TRQ
= TRN - QRN
= e – r2
Net deviation produced by the prism is,
δ = δ 1 + δ2
= i – r1 + e – r2
= i + e – (r1 + r2)
δ = ( i + e) – (r1 + r2)………………..(1)
In triangle Δ QRN,
(r1 + r2) + RNQ = 1800…………. (ii)
In quadrilateral QXRN,
QXR + XRN + RNQ + NQX = 3600
A + 900 + RNQ +900 = 3600
A + RNQ = 1800…………………………………………….(iii)
From (ii) and (iii)
A = r1 + r2 ……………………………………….(iv)
δ=i+e–A
δ + A = i + e ……………………………………(v)
Thus, when a ray is refracted through a prism, the sum of the
angle of incidence and angle of emergence is equal to the sum
of angle of deviation and angle of prism.
Minimum deviation condition
When the angle of incidence is increased from zero, angle of
deviation first decreases, become minimum and then
increased. At a particular angle of incidence, the angle of
deviation is minimum and this angle is called the angle of
minimum deviation δm.
When the prism is in minimum deviation position, the light ray
passes symmetrically through the prism. In this condition, the
angle of incident is equal to the angle of emergence and angle
of refraction through first face is equal to that through the
second face. In such case, the refracted ray passes parallel to
the base of an equilateral prism. Therefore in minimum
deviation position,
δ = δm ,i = e and r1 = r2 = r
from (iv), A = r1 + r2 = r + r = 2r
A = 2r
r=
again from (v),
δm = i + i - A
2i = δm + A
i =
aμg = =
aμg =
This is the relation between refractive index, angle of prism and
angle of minimum deviation.
Deviation in small Angle prism
Let us consider ABC is the prism having small angle A about 100-
120. PQ is the incident light ray making angle of incidence i , QR
is the refracted ray in the prism, RS is the emergent ray.r1 is
angle of refraction at faces AB , r2 is angle of incidence on face
AC and δ is the angle of deviation.
We know that ,
δ =( i + e) – (r1 + r2)
at face AB, refractive index
μ =
since angle of incidence is small so that angle of refraction is
also small, so
sini ≈ i
and sinr1 ≈ r1
μ =
or, i = μr1
similarly at face AC, e= μr2
δ = μr1 + μr2 – (r1+ r2)
= μ(r1+r2) – (r1+ r2)
= (μ-1) (r1+ r2)
= (μ-1)A
δ = A (μ-1)
This is the angle of deviation of a ray which is independent with
angle of incidence in a small angle prism.
Grazing incidence and Grazing Emergence:-
When a ray of light is incident on a face of a prism with an
angle of incidence 90o, the ray lies on the surface and is
refracted through the prism. This refraction of the prism is
called the grazing incidence.
The condition in which the light emerges out of the prism
with an angle of 900 with normal in second face is called
grazing emergence.
The largest value for the angle of prism for which the
incident and emergent ray travel along the refracting faces
on the prism is called limiting angle of the [Link] the
limiting angle,
Hence limiting angle of the prism is twice the critical angle.
Short answer question:
a) Under what condition does a prim produce the angle of
minimum deviation? Explain.
Answer:-
The minimum deviation of light occurs when the ray passes
symmetrically through the prism. In this case the angle of
emergence is equal to the angle of incidence and angle of
refraction at two faces are also equal. The refracted ray
through the prism is also parallel to the base of the prism.
b) A glass prism is immersed into water. What happens to the
value of angle of minimum deviation?
Answer:-
The refractive index (μ) of a glass prism with angle (A) and
minimum deviation are related by the formula
μ =
when the glass prism is immersed in water, the refractive
index decreases and hence angle of minimum deviation
also decrease being direct relationship.
