INVESTIGATORY PROJECT REFERENCE

PHYSICS

TOPIC : To investigate the dependence of the angle of

deviation on the angle of incidence using a hollow
prism filled with different transparent fluids

NAME : SABARISH.C
CLASS : XII ‘A’
 INDEX

 INTRODUCTION

 AIM

 APPARATUS REQUIRED

 THEORY

 PROCEDURE

 OBSERVATION

 RESULT

 PRECAUTIONS

 SOURCES OF ERROR

 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 daily 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 travelled 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
EXPERIMENT TO PROVE THE DEPENDENCE OF
ANGLE OF DEVIATION ON ANGLE OF INCIDENCE

AIM : To investigate the dependence of the angle of

deviation on the angle of incidence using a hollow
prism filled with different transparent fluids.

APPARATUS REQUIRED :

Drawing board, white sheets of paper prism 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 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 = 180 … (3)
From (2) and (3),
A = r1 + r2 …(4)
Eq. (1) becomes
D = i + e - A … (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.

( ∵ n= sin i / sin r1 = sin e / sin r2 )
Hence, at minimum deviation, when r1 = r2 = r ( say )
We have ,
A = r1 + r2 = r + r = 2r
⇒r=A/2
Also, at minimum deviation, D = Dm and i = e
From relation, A + D = i + e
We have,
A + Dm = i + i = 2i
⇒ i = A + Dm / 2
From Snell’s law,
⇒ n = sin i / sin r

We have ,
n = sin A + Dm /2
sin A / 2

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 40 ⁰,45 ⁰,50 ⁰and 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 = 45⁰,50⁰and 55 ⁰.
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.
OBSERVATION:

Angle of hollow prism A = 60⁰

S.No Angle of Angle of Angle of Angle of
incidence deviation deviation deviation
for water for for
kerosene turpentine
oil oil
1 40⁰ 23⁰ 36⁰ 32⁰
2 45⁰ 24⁰ 33⁰ 33⁰
3 50⁰ 25⁰ 34⁰ 34⁰
4 55⁰ 26⁰ 35⁰ 35⁰
RESULT :
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 ERROR :

 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:

1.Comprehensive: Practical Physics Class XII

2.NCERT textbook of class XII
3.Google