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Glass Prism

This document outlines a procedure to determine the angle of minimum deviation for a prism by plotting a graph of angle of incidence versus angle of deviation. Key steps include marking points of incidence on a line parallel to the prism, placing the prism on each point and observing the emergent rays through the prism using pins, and measuring and recording the angles of incidence and deviation. The results show the angle of deviation decreases to a minimum value and then increases as the angle of incidence increases. Precautions are noted to accurately perform the procedure and measurements.

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Pulkit Bansal
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382 views3 pages

Glass Prism

This document outlines a procedure to determine the angle of minimum deviation for a prism by plotting a graph of angle of incidence versus angle of deviation. Key steps include marking points of incidence on a line parallel to the prism, placing the prism on each point and observing the emergent rays through the prism using pins, and measuring and recording the angles of incidence and deviation. The results show the angle of deviation decreases to a minimum value and then increases as the angle of incidence increases. Precautions are noted to accurately perform the procedure and measurements.

Uploaded by

Pulkit Bansal
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Aim: To determine the angle of minimum deviation for a given prism by plotting a graph

between angle of incidence and angle of deviation.

Materials Required: A drawing board, a white sheet of paper, a prism, drawing pins,
pencil, a half-metre scale, office pins, protractor, graph paper.

Theory: Refraction takes place when a light ray travels from one medium to another resulting
in deviation of the emergent ray from that of the incident ray. Following is the refractive index of
the material used in the prism:

n=sin[(A+Dm)/2]/[sin(A/2)]
Where Dm is the angle of minimum deviation and A is the angle of the prism.

Ray Diagram

Procedure
1. Place the white sheet of paper on the drawing board and fix it with the help of drawing
pins.
2. XX’ is the straight line which is drawn parallel to the length of the paper such that it is in
the middle of the paper.
3. Mark points Q1, Q2, Q3…… on the straight line XX’ at a distance of 5 cm each.
4. N1Q1, N2Q2,… are the normal that are drawn on the points Q1, Q2,… as shown in the ray
diagram.
5. Make angles of 35°, 40°,….,60° by drawing straight lines R1Q1, R2Q2,…….. With respect to the
normal.
6. To take one edge of the prism for all the observation, mark any corner of the prism as A.
7. Place the prism with its refracting face AB on the line XX’ and on the point Q1 and also in
the middle of AB.
8. Mark the boundary of the prism.
9. On the line, R1Q1, fix office pins vertically and mark them as P1 and P2. the distance
between these pins should not be less than 10mm.
10. Through prism face, AC, look for the images of the points P1 and P2.
11. Close your left eye and with the right eye open, bring it in line with the two images.
12. Fix the other two office pins vertically and name them as P3 and P4. These pins should be
10cm apart from each other. P3 and P4 should be in one straight with respect to the
images of P1 and P2.
13. Encircle the pricks of pins P3 and P4.
14. For points, Q2, Q3,…. for angle 35°, 40°, 45°, 50°, 55°, …..60°, repeat the steps 7 to 13.

To measure D in a different case

1. To get emergent rays S1T1, S2T2,….. draw straight lines through P4 and P5.
2. Inward the boundary of the prism to produce T1S1, T2,S2….. so that they meet incident rays
R1Q1, R2Q2,…. at points F1, F2,…
3. To obtain the angle of deviation D1, D2,…. measure the angles K1F1S1, K2F2,S2,…….
4. Note these angles.

Observations:

Sno Angle of incidence ∠i Angle of deviation ∠D


Result
• The angle of minimum deviation, Dm = 39°
• Refractive index of the material of the prism, n = 1.520
• The graph indicates that the angle of incidence increases, the angle of deviation first
decreases to attain the minimum value of Dm and then increases as the angle of
incidence increases.

Precautions
• 35°-60° is the angle of incidence that needs to be maintained.
• The placement of the pins must be vertical.
• The placement of two pins should be such that the distance is not more than 10mm.
• To represent incident and emergent rays’ arrowheads must be marked.
• The angle of prism used should be the same for all the observations.

Sources of Error
• The pricks made by the pins might be thick.
• Angles might go wrong while measuring them.

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