CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that KISHAN SINGH of class XII-A

of has successfully completed and submitted investigatory
project entitled “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”
prescribed by Mr. AKSHAY MISHRA sir to the
department of physics for practical examination 2019-20 as
set by Central Board of Secondary Education .This project
is absolutely genuine and does not indulge any kind of
plagiarism. The reference taken in making this project has
been declared at the end of this project.

Mr. AKSHAY MISHRA External Examiner

(Physics Incharge )
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
It is my proud privilege to offer my sincere to the Central
Board of Secondary Education who has given me this
opportunity to make a project on this subject successfully. I
would like to offer my sincere thanks and gratitude to
Mr. S.S.N MISHRA sir , the principal of my school to
complete this in time. I am extremely indebted to our
physics teacher Mr. AKSHAY MISHRA sir for his
timely help and constructive encouragements towards the
completion of this project.
And at last, I would like to offer my sincere thanks to our
lab assistance for guiding me on a step by step basis and
ensuring that I completed all my experiments with ease.
 INDEX
 Aim
 Apparatus
 Introduction
 Theory
 Procedure
 Observations
 Results
 Precautions
 Sources of errors
 Bibliography
 AIM
‘‘ 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.’’
 APPARATUS
 Drawing board
 White sheet of paper
 Hollow prism
 Different liquids (water, kerosene oil, e.t.c )
 Drawing pins
 Pencil
 Half-meter scale
 Thumb pins
 Graph paper

 Protector
 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 out 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. 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 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.

 THEORY
Refraction of Light through a Prism –

( DIAGRAM: Refraction 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.

Where,
 PQ is the incident ray.
 QS is the refracted ray.
 SR is the emergent ray.
  PQN1 = i (angle of incidence)
 SQO = r1 (angle of refraction inside prism)
 QSO = r2 (angle of incidence inside prism)
 RSN2 = e (angle of emergence)
 BAC = A (angle of prism)
 STK = D (angle of deviation)

In QTS, KTS = TQS + FSQ

= D = (i – r1) + (e – r2)
= D = i + e – (r1 + r2) … (1)

In QOS,
= r1 + r2 + QOS = 180⁰ … (2)

The quadrilateral AQOS is cyclic quadrilateral, then

= A + QOS = 180 …(3)

From (2) and (3)

= A = r 1 + r2 … (4)

Then , 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 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= )

Hence, at minimum deviation, when r1 = r2 =r (say).

We have
= A = r1 + r2
= A=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
= A + Dm= 2i
= A + Dm = i
2

From Snell’s law ,

n=

We have , n =

(This relation is useful for determination of n for Prism Material)

 PROCEDURE
 A white sheet of paper was fixed on the drawing board

with the help of drawing pins.

 A straight line XX’ parallel to the length of the paper was

drawn nearly in the middle of the paper.

 Points Q1,Q2,Q3 and Q4 were marked on the straight

line XX’ at suitable distances of about 6cm.

 Normal’s N1Q1,N2Q2,N3Q3 and N4Q4 were drawn on

points Q1,Q2,Q3 and Q4.

 Straight lines R1Q1,R2Q2,R3Q3 and R4Q4 were drawn

making angles of 40⁰,45⁰,50⁰ and 55⁰ respectively with the

normals.

 One corner of the prism was marked as A and it was tak-

en as the edge of the prism for all the observations.

 Prism with its refracting face AB was put in the line XX’

and point Q1 was put in the middle of AB.

 The boundary of the prism was marked.

 Two pins P1 and P2 were fixed vertically on the line

R1Q1 and the distance between the pins were about 2cm.

 The images of points P1 and P2 were looked through face

AC.

 Left eye was closed and right eye was opened and was

brought in line with the two images.

 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.

 Pins P1,P2,P3 and P4 were removed and their pricks on

the paper were encircled.

 Steps 7 to 13 were again repeated with points Q2,Q3 and

Q4 for i=45⁰,50⁰ and 55⁰.

 Straight lines through points P4 and P3 were drawn to ob-

tain emergent rays S1T1, S2T2, S3T3 and S4T4.

 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.

 Angles K1F1S1 , K2F2S2 , K3F3S3 and K4F4S4 were

measured. These angles give angle of deviation D1, D2,

D3 and D4.

 Values of these angles were written on the paper.

 Angle BAC was measured in the boundary of the

prism. This gives angle A.

 Observations were recorded.

 OBSERVATIONS

S.N Angle of inci- Angle of deviation Angle of deviation Angle of deviation

o dence for water for kerosene oil for turpentine oil

1. 40⁰ 23⁰ 36⁰ 32⁰

2. 45⁰ 24⁰ 33⁰ 33⁰
3. 50⁰ 25⁰ 34⁰ 34⁰
4. 55⁰ 26⁰ 35⁰ 35⁰
 RESULTS
 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 ob-
servations.

SOURCES OF ERRORS
 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:

 Comprehensive: Practical Physics Class XII

 NCERT textbook of class XII

 Google