AIR

FORCE
SCHOO
L

GORAKHPUR U.P.
AISSCE SESSION 2018-19
PHYSICS PROJECT
WORK

Topic: Prism

Submitted to:
Submitted by:
Mr. Sandeep Singh
Sujeet Kumar
PGT Physics
Class XII `B`
Air Force School, Gorakhpur
 CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that Sujeet Kumar student of
Class XII-A of AIR FORCE SCHOOL, Gorakhpur has
completed his project under my guidance.

He has taken proper care and showed

interest & sincerity in the completion of this
project.

I certify that this project is up to my

expectations & as per the guidelines issued by
the CBSE.
 Internal Examiner External Examiner Principal

ACKNOWLEDGEME
NT

I express my deepest gratitude to Mr.

SANDEEP SINGH PGT (PHYSICS) of Physics
project who Inspiration has helped me to done
this project

I am grateful to principle Dr SHAZIA KHAN

for providing the necessary facilities for carrying
out work.

I am also Thankful to Laboratory Attendant

and my friends who help me to done this work

Sujeet Kumar
Class XII `B`
 Contents
Sl. No Content

1. Objective

2. Introduction

3. Apparatus

4. Theory

5. Procedure

6. Observations

7. Diagrams

8. Calculations + Graphs

9. Precautions

10. Bibliography
OBJECTIVES:
To study the variation of the angle of deviation with the angle of
incidence using Hollow Glass Prism and to determine the angle of
minimum deviation. To find out the refractive index of various liquids
using a Hollow Prism.

INTRODUCTION:
This project is of Investigatory Type. In this project, a hollow prism has been
used to calculate the refractive index of various liquids. The hollow prism is
filled with liquid and then the experiment is performed.

APPARATUS:
Drawing Board Ê Sheet of Paper
Hollow Glass Prism Ê Graph Paper
Protractor Ê Drawing Pins
All Pins Ê Pencil
THEORY:

Refraction :
In a homogenous medium, light travels along a straight line, but whenever it
falls on a surface of another medium, a very small fraction of it is reflected back
and most of the light passes into the medium, though with a change of
direction. This phenomenon of the bending of light at the surface of separation
of the two medium is called refraction of light.

Causes of refraction:
This phenomenon of refraction takes place when a beam of light enters a
medium in which light enters a medium in which light travels with a different
velocity.

Laws of Refraction:
1. The incident ray, the refracted and the normal to the surface at the point of
incidence lie on the same plane.
2. For any two given media, the ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence to the
angle of refraction is a constant, where it is the angle of incidence and is the
angle of refraction.
Medium: The surrounding substance through which the light travels. For a
monochromatic light, the ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence to the sine of
angle of refraction is a constant for any two given media. If `I’ is the angle of
incidence, and `r’ is the angle of refraction, then;
Sin I
=Constant
Sin R
The constant is called the refractive index. For most purposes it may be
assumed that the refractive index is with respect to air. When light travels from
a rarer to a denser medium, it bends towards the normal and vice versa when it
goes from a denser to a rarer medium. It has been experimentally shown that
Velocity of light in air
Re fractive index of substance=
Velocity of light in substance

Refraction Through Prism:

A transparent medium bounded by two plane surface inclined to each other at
an angle is called a Prism. The angle between the two faces is known as the
angle of the prism.

Angle of deviation: The angle through which the incident ray of light is
deviated is called the angle of deviation. In fact it is the angle between the
emergent ray and the incident ray produced.

Angle of minimum deviation: As the value of the angle of incidence

(1) increases, the angle of deviation decreases till for a particular value of the
angle of incidence, it attains a minimum value m , is called the angle of
minimum deviation.

Critical angle : It is that angle of incidence in the denser medium for which
corresponding angle of refraction in the rarer medium is 90 degree.

1
μ=
Sin C
Where,  = Refractive Index
C = Critical angle
The four parameters on which angle of deviation depends are:
1. Angle of prism ( A )
2. Material of prism (  )
3. Angle of incidence ( I )
4. Wavelength or color of light (  )

Refraction through Prism :

Theory on refraction through Prism :

When a ray of light passes from one medium into the other, it either bends
towards the normal or away from the normal in the second medium, depending
upon whether the second medium is denser or rarer with respect to first
medium. This phenomenon is known as the Refraction of light.
For a particular pair of two media, and for a particular wavelength of light
(colour) the ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence and the sine of the angle
of refraction is a constant quantity called the Refractive Index of the second
medium with respect to the first medium. It is represented by:
Sin i
μ=
Sin r
Therefore, the value of the angle of incidence i can be obtained in terms of the
refracting angle A of the prism and the angle of minimum deviation m and the
angle of refraction r can also be obtained in terms of the refracting angle A of
the prism. Let ABC represent a section of the glass prism and let IP be a ray
incident at angle i on the first face AB of the prism at a point P. N1PN is the
normal to this face. The material of the prism is denser with respect to air, as
such the ray will refract in the direction PQ making an angle r1 with the normal
reaching the second face AC of the prism at the point Q making an angle r2
with the normal N2QT. The ray emerging in the direction QE
bending away from the normal and making an angle e with the normal. If the
incident ray IP be produced backwards to meet QE produced at S, the angle
KSQ is called the angle of deviation is represented by D. Angle BAC is called
the refracting angle of the prism and represented by A. To derive the relation:
A+D=i+e
In D SPQ, PS is produced to K.
 KSQ or D is the external angle.
D =  SPQ +  SQP
= i-r1 + e-r 2
= (i + e) - (r 1 + r 2) .............(1)
r1 + r 2 +  PTQ = 180º
r 1 + r2 = 180º -  PTQ .........(2)
Taking quadrilateral APTQ
 APT + AQT = 90º + 90º = 180º
 A +  PTQ = 180º
 A = 180º -  PTQ ----------------(3)
From (2) and (3)
r1 + r2 =  A...........(4)
From (1) and (4)
D=i+e-A
A + D = i + e
When the angle of deviation D has minimum value Dm the following conditions
are fulfilled:
i=e
and r1 - r2 = r (say)
Applying these conditions in Eq.(2) and (3)
A=2r
A
r=
or 2 ...........(5)

and A + D m = 2 i
A+Dm
A + Dm
i=
or 2 ............(6)
Sin i
Since u 2 =
Sin r

We obtain on substituting the value of (i) and (r) Sin(i)

Sin(i )
μ=
since Sin(r )

Sin( A+ D m )/ 2
μ=
Sin( A / 2)
Thus we find that we can use the relation (7) for determining the refractive
index. The experiment thus consists of finding of the value of the refracting
angle of minimum deviation Dm.
For finding the value of Dm a curve is plotted between the angles of
incidence(1) and their respective angles of deviation (D).
PROCEDURE:
1. Fix the sheet of white paper on Drawing board with cello tape or drawing
pins.
2. Draw a straight-line XY nearly at the center of the sheet parallel to its length.
Mark points marked as O at suitable spacing on the line XY and draw normal
to the line XY at point O. Draw straight line PQ corresponding to the incident
rays that are drawn at the angles of incidence ranging from 30 to 60 i.e. for
angles 35,40,45,50,55 & 60 using a protractor.
3. Fill the liquid from open and of prism.
4. Fix two pins P and Q about 8 cm on the incident rayline and view its image
with one eye closed from the side of BC of the prism. Fix two pins R and S on
the paper such that the tips of these pins and the tips of these images of the
incident ray pins, all lie on the same straight line.
5. Join the points (i.e. pin pricks) S & R and produce it backwards to meet the
incident ray PQ produced. Thus RS is the emergent ray corresponding to the
incident ray PQ. Draw arrow heads to show the direction of rays.
6. Measure the angle of deviation D with Protractor.
7. Repeat at steps (4 to 8) for different liquids having different values of angle of
incidence and measure the corresponding angles of deviation D. Take at
least three values (i) from 300 to 400.
8. Now place the prism on separate sheet of paper or on the same sheet at a
suitable place and trace its triangular boundary with a sharp pencil. Measure
the angle A, of the triangle so traced with the help of protractor.
9. Record your observation in observation table.

Plotting of graph between i & D.

Plot a graph between angle i and D for various sets of values recorded in the
observation table.

Precautions
1. A sharp pencil should be used for drawing the boundary of the prism.
2. The separation between the pins should not be less than 8 cm.
3. The angle of incidence should lie between 30-45.
4. The same and prism should be used for all observations. So an ink mark
should be placed on it to distinguish it as a refracting angle A of the prism.
5. The pins should have sharp tips and fixed vertically and the pin pricks should
be encircled immediately after they are removed.
6. Proper arrow should be drawn to indicate the incident, the refracted
and the emergent rays.
7. A smooth curve passing practically through all the plotted points should be
drawn.

OBSERVATIONS
1) FOR H2O:
ANGLE OF ANGLE OF
SL. NO
INCIDENCE DEVIATION
1. 35º 25º
2. 40º 24º
3. 45º 23º
4. 50º 25º
5. 55º 26º

1) FOR SPIRIT:
ANGLE OF ANGLE OF
SL. NO
INCIDENCE DEVIATION
1. 35º 29º
2. 40º 26º
3. 45º 25º
4. 50º 27º
5. 55º 28º
CALCULATIONS
Formula Applied:-

μ=
Sin ( 2
A + Dm
)
Sin ( A / 2)

1. Water
( 60+23 )
Sin
2 Sin (41 .5 )
μ= =
Sin (60/2) Sin 30
0.6626
= = 1.33
0.5

2. Spirit
( 60+25 )
Sin
2 Sin (42 .5 )
μ= =
Sin (60/2) Sin 30
0 . 6756
= = 1 .35
0 . 5000
RESULT
(i) The angle of deviation D first decrease with the increase in the angle op-of
incidence, attains a minimum value and then increase with further increase
in angle of incidence.
(ii) The refractive index of :-
i. Water = 1.33
ii. Spirit = 1.35

Bibliography

In completing the project I took help of my teacher Mr. Sandeep Singh & the following
references

www.wikipedia.org

www.icbse.com
www.ncert.nic.in
www.scribd.com
APC Physics Lab
Manual for Class-XII