Kendriya Vidyalaya No2,

Delhi Cantt

Investigatory project to find out refractive index of

different mediums through hollow prism

A project submitted by

Muskan Srivastava
Under the guidance of

Dr.Mahesh Srivastava

PGT (Physics)
 CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that Miss Muskan Srivastava, class
XIIth Section C, Kendriya Vidyalaya No2 Delhi Cantt,
has successfully completed her physics project on the
topic entitled“To find out Refractive Index of different
medium through Hollow Prism” , under the guidance
of Dr. Mahesh Srivastava , PGT (Physics) , during the
academic year 2019-20.

Dr. Mahesh Srivastava External Examiner

(PGT (Physics)
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I wish to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Mahesh

Srivastava (PGT Physics), Kendriya Vidyalaya No2 Delhi
Cantt for providing me an opportunity to do my project work
on “Refraction of Light through a Hollow Prism”. This project
bears an imprint of many people. I sincerely thank to my
project guide and Mr Prem Pal (Lab Attendent) for
guidance and encouragement in carrying out this project
work. Last but not least I wish to avail myself of this
opportunity, express a sense of gratitude and love to my
friends and my beloved parents for their manual support,
strength, and help and for everything.

Muskan Srivastava

Kendriya Vidyalaya No 2

Delhi Cantt
 CONTENTS

- Certificate
- Acknowledgement
1. Introduction
2. Principle
3. Important Terms
4. Aim, Apparatus And Medium
5. Formula used
6. Ray Diagram
7. i) Refraction through glass prism
ii) Refraction through water as a medium placed in
hollow prism
iii) Refraction through lemon water placed in a
hollow prism
iv) Refraction through vegetable oil placed in a
hollow prism
8. Result
9. Sources of error and Precautions
10. Bibliography
 Introduction

BACKGROUND:

Sir Isaac Newton believed that white light was colorless and that the

prisms alone produced the colored spectrum. Newton's experiments,

however, convinced him that all the colors already existed in the light,

and that light consisted of particles of different colors traveling with

different speeds through the prism. Later, scientists Young and

Fresnel showed that color is determined by light's wavelength, not

particles of different sizes as Newton had thought.

Light changes speed as it moves from one substance to another (for

example, from air into water). This change in speed causes the light to

be bent (refracted) and enter the new substance at a different angle.

Each wavelength or color of light that passes through a specific

substance has its own optical density called the Index of Refraction.

When white light is passed through a prism, each component color is

refracted differently; red refracting less, violet refracts more. A

spectrum of colors results because of the different speeds each color

of light has in the substance; red with a faster speed, violet with a

slower speed. This phenomenon of producing separating white light into

its spectrum of colors is known as dispersion.

 PRINCIPLE
When a ray of light travelling in a straight in a transparent homogenous

medium with certain velocity, enters another transparent medium in

which it has different velocity, it bends in the other medium. When a

ray of light falls incidentally on the refracting surface of the prism,

then the ray of light gets deviated towards the base of the prism.

IMPORTANT TERMS
Refraction: The Phenomenon of bending of a ray of light in second
medium due to change in velocity is called refraction.
Refractive index: The ratio of velocity of light in first medium to its
velocity in second medium with respect to first medium is called
refractive index. It is represented by the symbol (µ). It has no unit.

Prism: A prism is a piece of transparent material bounded by three

rectangular surfaces forming a triangle. One surface (which may be
opaque or transparent) is called the base. Other two surfaces are
transparent and are called refracting surfaces. The line along which
the refracting surfaces meet, is called the edge of the prism. The
angle between the two refractive surfaces is called the angle of the
prism.

Hollow Prism: Hollow prism is an equilateral made with thin walled

glass plate inside of which is hollow. At the top of the prism, a small
hole is provided to introduce the liquid. This hollow prism can be filled
with various substances; water, various oils, corn syrup, alcohols, etc.
Angle of minimum deviation: It is the minimum value of angle of
deviation. It is represented by the symbol Dm.
Aim:
i) To determine angle of minimum deviation for given mediums

through a hollow prism by plotting a graph between angle of

incidence and angle of deviation.

ii) To determine the refractive index of the medium in the hollow

prism.

Apparatus Required:
i) A hollow prism

ii) A sheet of paper

iii) A graph paper

iv) Board pins

v) Protractor

Mediums:
i) Glass

ii) Water

iii) Lemon water

iv) Vegetable oil

Formula Used:

Refractive index of a material placed in a prism is given as:

(𝐴 + 𝛿𝑚 )
𝑠𝑖𝑛
𝜇= 2
A
sin ⁡
2
Where, 𝛿𝑚 the angle of minimum deviation and A is the angle of the

prism.

𝛿𝑚 Can be found from the graph and A for triangular prism is 60˚,
hence the refractive index can be found.
Ray Diagrams:

i) Refraction through Glass prism

Observation Table:

Angle of prism “A”: 60˚

Serial no. Angle of incidence Angle of deviation

Of Obs. Li LD
(1) (2) (3)
1. 30˚ 48˚
2. 35˚ 44˚
3. 40˚ 40˚
4. 45˚ 38˚
5. 50˚ 44˚
6. 55˚ 47˚
Table 1: For glass prism
 Graph between angle of incidence ( Li ) and angle of
deviation ( LD ) for glass prism :
Graph 1

Graph for glass prism

50

48

46
Angle of Deviation

44

42

40
angle of deviation (D)
38

36

34

32

30
30 35 40 45 50 55 60

Angle of incidence

Fig 1: Graph between angle of incidence and angle of refraction for glass
 Calculation:
We know that,

(𝐴 + 𝛿𝑚 )
𝑠𝑖𝑛
𝜇= 2
A
sin ⁡
2
Also we know, Dm = 37˚, and A = 60˚

So,

(60𝑜 + 37)
𝑠𝑖𝑛
𝜇= 2
60
sin ⁡
2
Therefore,

µ = 1.497911441578

= 1.498

= 1.50(approx)

Hence refractive index of glass prism is 1.50.

 ii) Refraction through water as a medium placed
in hollow prism

Observation Table:
Angle of prism “A”: 60˚

Serial no. Angle of incidence Angle of deviation

Of Obs. Li LD
(1) (2) (3)
1. 30˚ 29˚
2. 35˚ 26˚
3. 40˚ 24˚
4. 45˚ 23˚
5. 50˚ 25˚
6. 55˚ 28˚
Table 2: For water
 Graph between angle of incidence ( Li ) and angle of
deviation ( LD ) for water medium :

Graph 2

Graph for refraction through water

50

45

40
Angle of Deviation

35
angle of deviation (D)

30

25

20
20 30 40 50 60

Angle of incidence

Fig 2: Graph between angle of incidence and angle of refraction for water.
 Calculation:
We know that,

(𝐴 + 𝛿𝑚 )
𝑠𝑖𝑛
𝜇= 2
A
sin ⁡
2

Also we know, Dm = 23˚, and A = 60˚

So,

(𝐴 + 𝛿𝑚 )
𝑠𝑖𝑛
𝜇= 2
A
sin ⁡
2

(60 + 23)
𝑠𝑖𝑛
𝜇= 2
60
sin ⁡
2
Therefore,

µ = 1.325240096432

= 1.33(approx)

Hence refractive index of water is 1.33.

 iii) Refraction through lemon water placed in a
hollow prism

Observation Table:
Angle of prism “A”: 60˚

Serial no. Angle of incidence Angle of deviation

Of Obs. Li LD
(1) (2) (3)
1. 30˚ 26˚
2. 35˚ 25˚
3. 40˚ 24˚
4. 45˚ 25˚
5. 50˚ 26˚
6. 55˚ 27˚
Table 3: For lemon water
 Graph between angle of incidence ( Li ) and angle of
deviation ( LD ) for lemon water as medium :

Graph 3

Graph for refraction through lemon water

27.5

27

26.5
Angle of Deviation

26

25.5

25 angle of deviation (D)

24.5

24

23.5

23
30 35 40 45 50 55 60

Angle of incidence

Fig 3: Graph between angle of incidence and angle of refraction for lemon water.
 Calculation:
We know that,

(𝐴 + 𝛿𝑚 )
𝑠𝑖𝑛
𝜇= 2
A
sin ⁡
2

Also we know, Dm = 24˚, and A = 60˚

So,

(60 + 24)
𝑠𝑖𝑛
𝜇= 2
60
sin ⁡
2
Therefore,

µ = 1.338261212718

= 1.34 (approx)

Hence refractive index of lemon water is 1.34.

 iv) Refraction through vegetable oil placed in a
hollow prism

Observation Table:
Angle of prism “A”: 60˚

Serial no. Angle of incidence Angle of deviation

Of Obs. Li LD
(1) (2) (3)
1. 30˚ 40˚
2. 35˚ 38˚
3. 40˚ 35˚
4. 45˚ 34˚
5. 50˚ 36˚
6. 55˚ 38˚
Table 1: For vegetable oil
 Graph between angle of incidence ( Li ) and angle of
deviation ( LD ) for vegetable oil as medium :

Graph 4

Graph for refraction through vegetable oil

42

40
Angle of Deviation

38

36
angle of deviation (D)

34

32

30
30 35 40 45 50 55 60

Angle of incidence

Fig 4: Graph between angle of incidence and angle of refraction for vegetable oil.
 Calculation:
We know that,

(𝐴 + 𝛿𝑚 )
𝑠𝑖𝑛
𝜇= 2
A
sin ⁡
2
Also we know, Dm = 34˚, and A = 60˚

So,

(60 + 34)
𝑠𝑖𝑛
𝜇= 2
60
sin ⁡
2

Therefore,

µ = 1.462707403238

= 1.47 (approx)

Hence refractive index of vegetable oil is 1.47.

Result:
The angle of deviation D first decreases with increase in angle of
incidence, obtain a minimum value, and then increases with further
increase in the angle of incidence as indicated in the LD and Li Graph in
all the cases.

From the above observations we can conclude that the angle of

minimum deviation and the refractive indices of glass, water, lemon
water and vegetable oil are as follows:

GLASS:

Angle of minimum deviation: 37˚

Refractive index: 1.50

WATER:

Angle of minimum deviation: 23˚

Refractive index: 1.33

LEMON WATER:

Angle of minimum deviation: 24˚

Refractive index: 1.34

VEGETABLE OIL:

Angle of minimum deviation: 34˚

Refractive index: 1.47

Sources of Error:
i) Pin pricks maybe thick.
ii) Measurement of angles maybe wrong
iii) There might be parallax error if the observations are
not taken carefully

Precautions:
i) A sharp pointed pencil should be used for drawing
boundary of the prism and for making the pin pricks.
ii) The angle of incidence should lie between 30˚- 60˚.
iii) The pins should be fixed vertical.
iv) The distance between two pibs should not be less than
10 cm.
v) Arrow heads should be marked to represent the
incident and emergent rays.
vi) The same angle of the prism should be usedvfor all
the observations.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Books:
 Basic Concepts of Physics
 Comprehensive Practical Physics
 NCERT Physics Part-2

Sites:
 www.google.com
 www.wikepedia.com
 www.solvemymath.com