Answers to the prism angle of deviation problems.

Read the discussion on page 73 of the Optical Formulas Tutorial, and do the exercises at the bottom of the page.

Here are a few more for practice:

  1. What angle of deviation would a ray have after going through a crown glass prism that has an apical angle of 12 degrees?

    2.  

     
     
     

    = ?
      a = 12
      n = 1.523

    = a ( n - 1)
    = 12 (1.523 - 1)
    = 12 (0.523)
    = 6.276 = 6 degrees


  2. If a prism is to deviate light by 8 degrees and will be made out of a material with an index of refraction of 1.66, what angle must the prism have at the apex?

    3.  

     
     
     

    = 8
      a = ?
      n = 1.66

    = a ( n - 1)
    8 = a (1.66 - 1) = a (0.66)
    a = 8/0.66
    a = 12.12 = 12 degrees


  3. A prism deviates an incident ray of light by 6 degrees, and the apical angle of the prism is 10 degrees. What is the index of refraction of the material the prism is made of?

    4.  

     
     
     

    = 6
      a = 10
      n = ?

    = a ( n - 1)
    6 = 10 (n - 1)
    n - 1 = 6/10 = 0.6
    n = 1.6

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