Investigate The Dependence, of The Angle

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.
Neha Fathima
INTRODUCTION
In optics, a prism is a transparent optical element with flat, polished surfaces that refracts
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. 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.
Before Isaac Newton, it was believed that white light was colorless, and that the prism itself
produced the color. Newton’s experiments demonstrated that all the colors already existed in
the light in a heterogeneous fashion, and that “corpuscles” (particles) of light were fanned out
because particles with different colors traveled with different speeds through the prism. It was
only later that Young and Fresnel combined Newton’s particle theory with Huygens’ wave
theory to show that color is the visible manifestation of light’s wavelength.
Newton arrived at his conclusion by passing the red color from one prism through second
prism and found the color unchanged. From this, he concluded that the colors must already be
present in the incoming light and white light consists of a collection of colors. As the white
light passes through the triangular prism, the light separates into the collection of colors: red,
orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. This collection of colors formed by the prism is
called the spectrum. The separation of white light into its spectrum is known as dispersion.
Dispersion occurs because each color travels through the prism at different speeds. Violet
travels the slowest through the prism; hence we can see it refracting the most. On the other
hand, red passes through at a much fast rate which makes its angle of refraction less, hence
red is too scarce to be seen.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
01 02 03
INTRODUCTION Experimental setup Bibliography

Experimental setup
AIM: To investigate the dependence, of the
angle of deviation on the angle of incidence,
using a hallow prism filled, one by one, with
different transparent fluids.
APPARATUS: Drawing board, white sheets of

paper, hollow prism, different liquids (water,
kerosene oil, etc), drawing pins, pencil, half
meter scale, thump pins, graph papers and a
protractor.
THEORY
Refraction of Light through a Prism –
Diagram shows section ABC of a prism taken by a vertical plane, perpendicular to

the edge. BC is the base of the prism and AB and AC are its two refracting surfaces.
DIAGRAM: Refraction through a prism.
RQ is the incident ray. QS is the refracted ray. ST is the emergent ray.
RQN1 = i = angle of incidence
SQN3 = r1 = angle of refraction inside prism
QSN3 = r2 = angle of incidence inside prism
TSN2 = e = angle of emergence
BAC = A = angle of prism

SFK = D = angle of deviation
In QFS, KFS = FQS + FSQ
D = (i – r1) + (e – r2)D = i + e – (r1 + r2) … (1)
In QS1N3, r1 + r2 + QN3S = 180⁰ … (2)
The quadrilateral AQN3S is cyclic quadrilateral, then A + QN3S = … (3)
From (2) and (3)
A = r1 + r2 … (4) Eq. (1) become
D=i+e-A
D + A = i + e …5
Angle of Minimum Deviation - Definition: The
minimum value of angle of deviation is called
angle of minimum deviation. It is represented
by the symbol Dm. Explanation: For same
angle of deviation (D) there are two values of
angle of incidence. One value equals ‘i’ and
other value equals ‘e’. As angle ‘i’ is 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’ becomes equal.
PROCEDURE
1.A white sheet of paper was fixed on the drawing board with the help of drawing pins.
2.A straight line XX’ parallel to the length of the paper was drawn nearly in the middle of
the paper.
3.Points Q1,Q2,Q3 and Q4 were marked on the straight line XX’ at suitable distances of
about 6cm.
4.Normal’s N1Q1,N2Q2,N3Q3 and N4Q4 were drawn on points Q1,Q2,Q3 and Q4.
5.Straight lines R1Q1,R2Q2,R3Q3 and R4Q4 were drawn making angles of 40⁰,45⁰,50⁰
and 55⁰ respectively with the normals.
6.One corner of the prism was marked as A and it was taken as the edge of the prism for
all the observations
7.Prism with its refracting face AB was put in the line XX’ and point Q1 was put in the
middle of AB.
8.The boundary of the prism was marked.
9.Two pins P1 and P2 were fixed vertically on the line R1Q1 and the distance between
the pins were about 2cm.
10. The images of points P1 and P2 were looked through face AC.
11. Left eye was closed and right eye was opened and was brought in line with the two
images
12. Two pins P3 and P4 were fixed vertically at about 2cm apart such that the open right
eye sees pins P4 and P3 as images of P2 and P1 in one straight line.
13. Pins P1,P2,P3 and P4 were removed and their pricks on the paper were encircled.
14. Steps 7 to 13 were again repeated with points Q2,Q3 and Q4 for i=45⁰,50⁰ and 55⁰.
15. Straight lines through points P4 and P3 were drawn to obtain emergent rays S1T1, S2T2,
S3T3 and S4T4.
16. T1S1,T2S2 ,T3S3 and T4S4 were produced inward in the boundary of the prism to meet
produced incident rays R1Q1, R2Q2,R3Q3 and R4Q4 at points F1,F2,F3 and F4.
17. Angles K1F1S1,K2F2S2,K3F3S3 and K4F4S4 were measured. These angles give angle of
deviation D1, D2,D3 and D4.
18. Values of these angles were written on the paper.
19. Angle BAC was measured in the boundary of the prism. This gives angle A.
20. Observations were recorded.

OBSERVATIONS
Angle of hollow prism A = 60⁰

RESULTS
★ The angle of minimum deviation for –
Water Dm = 23⁰C
Kerosene oil Dm = 33⁰C
Turpentine oil Dm = 32⁰C
★ The refractive indices of the-

Water n = 1.32
Kerosene oil n = 1.46
Turpentine oil n = 1.44
★ Speed of light in-

Water v = 2.3x108 m/s
Kerosene oil v = 2.05x108 m/s
Turpentine oil v = 2.08x108 m/s
PRECAUTIONS
★ The angle of incidence should lie between 35⁰ – 60⁰.
★ The pins should be fixed vertical.
★ The distance between the two pins should not be less than 10mm.
★ Arrow heads should be marked to represent the incident and emergent
rays.
★ The same angle of prism should be used for all the observations.
SOURCES OF ERRORS
★ Pin pricks may be thick.
★ Measurement of angles may be wrong.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
The following sources were used for the appropriate information
required to complete the project:
❖ Comprehensive: Practical Physics Class XII
❖ NCERT textbook of class XII
❖ Google

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Investigate the dependence, of the angle

of deviation on the angle of incidence,

INTRODUCTION Experimental setup Bibliography

APPARATUS: Drawing board, white sheets of

Diagram shows section ABC of a prism taken by a vertical plane, perpendicular to

DIAGRAM: Refraction through a prism.

RQ is the incident ray. QS is the refracted ray. ST is the emergent ray.

RQN1 = i = angle of incidence

SQN3 = r1 = angle of refraction inside prism

QSN3 = r2 = angle of incidence inside prism

TSN2 = e = angle of emergence

BAC = A = angle of prism

In QFS, KFS = FQS + FSQ

D = (i – r1) + (e – r2)D = i + e – (r1 + r2) … (1)

In QS1N3, r1 + r2 + QN3S = 180⁰ … (2)

The quadrilateral AQN3S is cyclic quadrilateral, then A + QN3S = … (3)

From (2) and (3)

A = r1 + r2 … (4) Eq. (1) become

8.The boundary of the prism was marked.

18. Values of these angles were written on the paper.

20. Observations were recorded.

Angle of hollow prism A = 60⁰

★ The refractive indices of the-

★ Speed of light in-

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