Physics · Chapter 16
Study notes aligned to the official NEB syllabus.
A prism is a wedge-shaped transparent refracting medium bounded by two plane surfaces inclined to each other at an angle. The angle between the two refracting faces is called the angle of the prism (or refracting angle), denoted $A$. The line where the two refracting faces meet is the refracting edge.
Consider a ray of light $BC$ incident on face $XY$ of a prism of refracting angle $A$ at angle of incidence $i$. It refracts into the glass along $CD$, making angle $r_1$ with the normal, travels to the second face $XZ$ where it strikes at angle $r_2$, and finally emerges along $DE$ at angle of emergence $e$. The angle between the incident ray produced and the emergent ray is the angle of deviation $\delta$.
A prism is a wedge-shaped transparent refracting medium bounded by two plane surfaces inclined to each other at an angle. The angle between the two refracting faces is called the angle of the prism (or refracting angle), denoted . The line where the two refracting faces meet is the refracting edge.
Consider a ray of light incident on face of a prism of refracting angle at angle of incidence . It refracts into the glass along , making angle with the normal, travels to the second face where it strikes at angle , and finally emerges along at angle of emergence . The angle between the incident ray produced and the emergent ray is the angle of deviation .