SARDAR PATEL PUBLIC SCHOOL

HOSHANGABAD ROAD, MISROD, BHOPAL

(SESSION 2022-2023)

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS
PROJECT FILE

The dependence of the angle of deviation on the angle

of incidence using a hollow prism filled one by one ,
with different transparent fluids

SUBMITTED TO: SUBMITTED BY:

MR. N K SAHU Yash Hirani

(PGT PHYSICS) Class - XII
Roll No. -
 DECLARATION
I hereby declare that the work presented in the project file on the
topic of “The dependence of the angle of deviation on the angle
of incidence using a hollow prism filled one by one , with
different transparent fluids” in partial fulfillment of the XII class
AISSCE 2022 – 23 examinations for the subject of XII Class Physics.
This is an authentic record of my own work carried out under the
able guidance of Mr. N K Sahu (PGT Physics).

The work has been carried out at SARDAR PATEL PUBLIC SCHOOL
MISROD, BHOPAL.

Student Name Yash Hirani

XII –
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Yash hirani ,student of XII Class Sardar Patel
Public School, Bhopal has successfully completed his/her project on
the topic “The dependence of the angle of deviation on the angle
of incidence using a hollow prism filled one by one , with
different transparent fluids” in physics for partial fulfillment of
the AISSCE Examination under my guidance and supervision

N K Sahu
(PGT Physics)

Dr. Rajesh K. Sharma

(Principal)
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I express my deep sense of gratitude to my respected and learned

guide Mr. N K Sahu, for his valuable help and guidance.

I am grateful to my respected Principal Dr. Rajesh K. Sharma,

Sardar Patel Public School Misrod, Bhopal for permitting me to
select this topic and utilize all the necessary facilities of the
institution.

I am also thankful to all the faculty & staff members of our School
for their kind co-operation and help.

Lastly, I would like to express my deep appreciation towards my

classmates and my indebtedness to my parents for providing me the
moral support and encouragement.

Student Name

XII - ____
 CONTENT

 Introduction

 Experimental setup
 Bibliography
 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.
 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.
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 triangle QFS
 KFS = FQS + FSQ
D = (i – r1) + (e – r2)
D = i + e – (r1 + r2) …… (1)

In triangle QS1N3

r1 + r2 + QN3S = 180⁰ ……… (2)

The quadrilateral AQN3S is cyclic quadrilateral, then

A + QN3S = 180 ……… (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

The refracted ray QS goes parallel to base BC =

Since i = e, we have r1 = r2.

Hence, at minimum deviation, when

r1 = r2 = r (say).

We have
A = r1 + r2 = r + r = 2r
Also, at minimum deviation,
D = Dm and i = e

From relation,
A+D=i+e
We have,
A + Dm = i + i = 2i

From Snell’s law,

We have

This relation is useful for determination of n for Prism

material.
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
➢WIKIPEDIA