1

REFRACTION OF LIGHT THROUGH A PRISM

A. PURPOSE OF EXPERIMENT
There are some purposes which want to be achieved from this experiment.
1. Determining the minimum deviation angel of each component of visible
light, exactly for red light and violet light.
2. Determining the magnitude of prisms index of refraction.

B. TOOLS AND MATERIALS
Here are the tools and materials needed in order to do this experiment.
1. Triangel Prism
2. Collimator
3. Protractor (SSD: 1.0
o
) and Ruler (SSD: 0.1 cm),
4. Colored Needles
5. HVS Paper
6. Graphic Paper
7. Pencil
8. Ruler

C. FUNDAMENTAL THEORY
Polychromatic beam is a light consisting of several monochromatic the light to
form a row of color or the color spectrum. One example is the light produced
by the mercury lamp. This spectrum can be observed when the light is passed
to a medium like glass prisms, since the light having different wavelengths
and frequency, resulting in a difference in index of refraction.







|
B
N
F II
M
I
C
E
D
G
i
1

i
2
r
1

r
2

Normal
Normal

Figure 1. Refraction of light through a prism
2

Where;
i
1
: the incident angel of light on the surface of the first refracting
r
1:
the refracting angel of light on the surface of the first refracting
i
2
: the incident angel of light on the surface of the second refracting
r
2:
the refracting angel of light on the surface of the second refracting
|: the refracting angel of prism (top angel)
From Figure 1, it can be seen that the beam of light coming in the direction of
BC in the prism will be refracted along the CE and so out of the prism in the
direction of EF. Direction of the beam out of the prism is the direction of
deviated beams. The angel formed by the coming light i
1
and the refracted
light r
2
is called the angel of deviation (D). In the figure above, the angel of
deviation is formed from the extension direction rays come early (CG) to the
direction of deviated beam (EF). The magnitude of the angel of deviation is
stated as follow.
=
1
+
2

If the incident angel (i) is varied, then the deviation angel (D) is also varied,
but the deviation angel D has a minimum value at only one value of the
incident angel (i), then the angel of deviation is called the minimum deviation
of the prism. Prism minimum deviation angel can be calculated by the
following formula.
2

sin n
2

sin
12
= |
.
|

\
| +

Where, B is the relative index of refraction of medium 2 to medium 1. If
medium 1 is air with n
1
= 1, and medium 2 is n
2
= n is the refractive index of
the prism, then by equation (2) at the time of minimum deviation angel, prism
index of refraction n can be expressed by the following equation.
2

sin
2

sin
n
|
.
|

\
| +
=




3

D. EXPERIMENT METHOD
The following are the experiment method that should be done in order to do
this experiment.
1. Setting up the tools and materials as the following picture.









2. Place the prism on top of HVS, and then draw appropriate prism shape.
3. At point C, draw the normal line. Normal line is perpendicular to the
surface of the first refracting of the prism.
4. Setting the collimator (light source), set the exit beam collimator, in order
to obtain a light beam BC, which forms the incident angel i of the normal
line.
5. Put a dot with a pencil at points B, C, E, and F.
6. Lift the collimator and the prism, and then draw the line BC, CE, EF (and
E'F' If in the form of the spectrum).
7. Furthermore, by extending the CG line drawing line drawing extension
line BC and FE (and E'F' if in the form of the spectrum) to cut the line CG.
The intersection of the two lines of the second extension generates angel
D.
8. Measure the value of i and the angel D with a protractor and record the
measurement on the observation sheet.
9. Repeating steps 2 through 8 as many as 10 times to get different values of
the angels i and D.
10. Recording the result data in given table.

|
B
F II
I
C
E
D1
G
i
Normal
Normal
Source of
light
F
Violet
Red
D2
4

E. DATA ANALYSIS TECHNIQUE
The following are the analysis technique used in order to analysis the data
recorded from the experiment.
1. Creating a graph of i and D, with i on the x-axis and D on y-axis, one each
for red and violet spectrum.
2. Determining the minimum deviation angel based on the graph of the
spectrum of red and violet.
3. State the minimum deviation in the following form.
o = o Ao
Where o is the angel of minimum deviation which is gotten from the
graph and Ao is multiplied by the smallest scale number of protractor
used.
4. Then, use this formulation to determine the index of refraction of prism for
both the red and violet spectrums.
2

sin
2

sin
n
|
.
|

\
| +
=

5. Since, here we just using single value of o , then the error of the index of
refraction of prism measurement .
o
| o
|
A
|
.
|

\
| +
|
.
|

\
|
= A
2
cos
2
sin
1
n
6. So that, the value of the index of refraction of prism for red and violet
spectrum is as follows.
n
1
= n
m
An
m
and n
2
= n
u
An
u
7. While the average index of refraction can be found by the following
equation.
2
2
2 1
u m
n n
n
n n
n
A + A
= A
+
=

8. With the relative error found by equation follow.
5

% 100
A
=
n
n
KR

F. DATA OF EXPERIMENT
No. Angel i (
0
)
Angel D
Red Spectrum

(
0
) Violet Spectrum

(
0
)
1 31.8 48.0 46.0
2 35.0 47.0 46.0
3 40.0 42.5 41.0
4 45.0 38.0 36.5
5 48.0 41.0 40.0
6 55.0 41.0 40.0
7 58.0 42.5 40.5
8 61.0 41.0 39.0
9 65.0 42.0 40.0
10 78.0 44.0 38.1
=

G. DATA ANALYSIS
1. Creating a graph of i and D, with i on the x-axis and D on y-axis, one each
for red and violet spectrum.
a. Red Spectrum

35
37
39
41
43
45
47
49
20 40 60 80
D
m

(
r
e
d

d
e
v
i
a
t
i
o
n
)
i (coming light)
Series1
6

b. Violet Spectrum


2. Determining the minimum deviation angel based on the graph of the
spectrum of red and violet.
a. According to the graph, the minimum deviation angel (o) of red
spectrum is 38.0 when the value of = 45.0
b. According to the graph, the minimum angel of violet spectrum is 36.5
when the value of = 45.0

3. Stating the minimum deviation in the following form.
a. Red Spectrum
o = (38.0 0.5)
0

b. Violet Spectrum
o = (36.5 0.5)
0







35
37
39
41
43
45
47
30 50 70 90
D
u

(
v
i
o
l
e
t

d
e
v
i
a
t
i
o
n
)
i (coming light)
Series1
7

4. Using formulation above to determine the index of refraction of prism for
both the red and violet spectrums.
a. Red Spectrum
( )
86 , 1
50 , 0
0,93

30,0 sin
68.0 sin

2
60,0
sin
2
60,0 38,0
sin

2

sin
2

sin

1
1
0
0
1
0
0 0
1
1
=
=
=
|
.
|

\
| +
=
|
.
|

\
| +
=
n
n
n
n
n


b. Violet Spectrum
84 , 1
0,50
0,92

30,0 sin
5 , 66 sin

2
60,0
sin
2
60,0 36,5
sin

2

sin
2

sin

2
2
0
0
2
0
0 0
2
2
=
=
=
|
.
|

\
| +
=
|
.
|

\
| +
=
n
n
n
n
n







8

5. Measuring the error of the index of refraction of prism .
a. Red Spectrum
( )
0,66
) (0,66)(0,5
5 , 0
1

5 , 0 0 , 49 cos
5 , 0
1

5 , 0
2
0 , 98
cos
0 , 30 sin
1

5 , 0
2
0 , 60 0 , 38
cos
2
60
sin
1

2
cos
2
sin
1

1
0
1
0 0
1
0
0
0
1
0
0 0
0
1
1
= A
= A
= A
|
|
.
|

\
|
= A
|
|
.
|

\
| +
|
|
.
|

\
|
= A
A
|
.
|

\
| +
|
.
|

\
|
= A
n
n
n
n
n
n o
| o
|


b. Violet Spectrum
( )
0,67
) (0,66)(0,5
5 , 0
1

5 , 0 25 , 48 cos
5 , 0
1

5 , 0
2
5 , 96
cos
0 , 30 sin
1

5 , 0
2
0 , 60 5 , 36
cos
2
0 , 60
sin
1

2
cos
2
sin
1

2
0
2
0 0
2
0
0
0
2
0
0 0
0
2
2
= A
= A
= A
|
|
.
|

\
|
= A
|
|
.
|

\
| +
|
|
.
|

\
|
= A
A
|
.
|

\
| +
|
.
|

\
|
= A
n
n
n
n
n
n o
| o
|




9

6. Stating value of the index of refraction of prism for red and violet
spectrum is as follows.
a. Red Spectrum
66 , 0 86 , 1
1 1
=
A =
red
red
n
n n n

b. Violet Spectrum
67 , 0 84 , 1
2 2
=
A =
violet
violet
n
n n n


7. Determining the average index of refraction by the following equation.
1,85
2
3,70
2
84 , 1 86 , 1
2
=
=
+
=
+
=
n
n
n
n n
n
violet red

0,66
2
1,33
2
67 , 0 66 , 0
2
2 1
= A
= A
+
= A
A + A
= A
n
n
n
n n
n


8. Stating the relative error (RE) by equation follow.
a. Red Spectrum
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
48 , 35
100
86 , 1
66 , 0
100
=
=
A
=
RE
x RE
x
n
n
RE

b. Violet Spectrum
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
2
41 . 36
100
84 , 1
67 , 0
100
=
=
A
=
RE
x RE
x
n
n
RE


10


c. Index of Refraction
% 95 , 35
% 100
85 , 1
66 , 0
% 100
=
=

A
=
RE
RE
n
n
RE


H. DISCUSSION
According to the data analysis of the experiment, It is retrieved the following
results.
a. Red Spectrum
1) Minimum deviation is o = (38.0 0.5)
0

2) Index of refraction is

= 1.86 0.66
3) Relative Error is 35.48%
b. Violet Spectrum
1) Minimum deviation is o = (36.5 0.5)
0

2) Index of refraction is

= 1.84 0.67
3) Relative Error is 36.41%
c. Index of Refraction
1) Index of refraction is

= 1.85 0.66
2) Relative Error is 35.95%
It is believed that there are some errors that estimated inflence to the final of
this experiment.
1. Common Error
Common error is error that occurs because of the human error. The
common error of this experiment is the difficult to observe and
determine precisely the red and violet light rays to be drawn. This is
because the distance between the light is close enough. Another thing
that causes this difficulty is a bright room. Authors anticipate the trial
in order to put the paper over the place was dark. The difficulty in
determining the angel of incidence to remember when the arrival angel
11

set in advance, there is some diffraction angel that is not located at the
expected position is on the right.
2. Systematic Error
Systematic error is an error that occurs because of the instruments used
as the influence of the environment at the time of trials. The systematic
error of this experiment is caused by diffraction grid and grid holder
which didnt work well. Prism is often shifted, so the experiment is
difficulty in determining the point of refraction light. When the author
illustrates the ribs under the prism, having completed it illustrates the
shift and not in accordance with previously. These were overcome by
placing the prism authors appropriately, then scratch and skip without
lifting beam prism first. Previous authors raised the prism to determine
the point of light when it enters the prism medium. After that, the
author just missed without lifting beam prism. Place the contents of the
entry of the authors polychromatic beam with a dot.
3. Random Error
Random error is an error which the causing factors are uninvestigated.
The random error of this experiment is the fluctuation of temperature,
magnetic field, vibration of air, etc.

I. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
1. Conclusion
Based on the results of the experiment and the discussion above, it can be
summed up as follows.
a. Red Spectrum
1) Minimum deviation is o = (38.0 0.5)
0

2) Index of refraction is

= 1.86 0.66
3) Relative Error is 35.48%
b. Violet Spectrum
1) Minimum deviation is o = (36.5 0.5)
0

2) Index of refraction is

= 1.84 0.67
3) Relative Error is 36.41%
12

c. Index of Refraction
1) Index of refraction is

= 1.85 0.66
2) Relative Error is 35.95%
d. There are some errors influences through this experiment. They are
common errors, systematic errors, and random errors as explained
before.

2. Suggestion
The suggestion that can be provided to the readers and other human in
order to do the same experiment is checking the necessary equipment. Do
the tool and the material taken or provided is still eligible to use or could
still be used or not. If actually it still can be used, then use them with well,
but if the tool used is not good, its recommend to replace it with the good
others because it will affect the final results of the experiment. It is also
important to pay attention in setting up the instrument to get the best
result.

REFERENCE
Suardana, I Kade. 2007. Petunjuk Praktikum Laboratorium 3. Singaraja:
Undiksha.
www.physicsclassroom.com/refraction (accessed on November 28th, 2012)