PHYSICS

INVESTIGATORY
PROJECT

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 TOPIC
To 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.

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 INDEX
SERIAL TOPIC PAGE
NO. NUMBER
1 INTRODUCTION 4

2 EXPERIMENT 5

3 AIM 5

4 APPARATUS REQUIRED 5

5 THEORY 5

6 PROCEDURE 7

7 OBSRVATION 9

8 RESULT 9

9 PRECAUTION 10

10 SOURCES OF ERROR 10

11 BIBLIOGRAPHY 10

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 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 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.

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 EXPERIEMENT
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 REQUIRED
Drawing board, white sheets of paper, hollow prism, different
liquids (water, kerosene oil, turpentine oil), 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.

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Where,
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) 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
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 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 / sinr 2 )
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 = sin2 A + Dm / (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.

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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.
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 OBSERVATIONS
Angle of hollow prism A = 60⁰
ANGLE ANGLE OF ANGLE OF
ANGLE OF DEVIATION DEVIATION
SERIAL OF
NO. DEVIATIO FOR FOR
INCIDENCE N KEROSENE TURPENTINE
FOR OIL OIL
WATER
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

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 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
o www.physics.org
o www.hyperphysics
o www.learncbse.com
o NCERT textbook

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To investigate the
dependence, of the
angle
of deviation on the
angle of incidence,
using a
hollow

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