Refractive index by prism (angle of minimum deviation)
Optics experiments · Physics
Study notes
**Worked Example** **Given:** - Prism apex angle, A = 60° - Minimum deviation, Dmin = 30° **Find:** Refractive index, n. **Steps:** 1. Write the formula: n = sin[(A + Dmin)/2] / sin(A/2). 2. Calculate (A + Dmin)/2: (60° + 30°)/2 = 45°. 3. Calculate A/2: 60°/2 = 30°. 4. Find sin(45°) ≈ 0.7071 and sin(30°) = 0.5. 5. Divide: n = 0.7071 / 0.5 = 1.4142. **Answer:** The refractive index of the prism material is approximately 1.41.