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Refraction and Dispersion of Light through a Prism

ICSE · Class 12 · Physics

Quick revision notes for Refraction and Dispersion of Light through a Prism — ICSE Class 12 Physics. Key concepts, formulas, and definitions for last-minute revision.

45 questions30 flashcards5 concepts

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A labeled diagram showing a light ray passing through a triangular prism, illustrating the angles of incidence, refraction, emergence, prism angle, and angle of deviation.
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Key Topics to Revise

1

1. Prism and Refraction through a Prism

  • A prism is a homogeneous, transparent medium such as glass bounded by two plane surfaces inclined to each other at an angle.
  • The two refracting faces of a prism are the two plane surfaces.
  • The angle A between the two refracting faces is called the refracting angle or angle of prism.
2

2. Minimum Deviation and Refractive Index

  • For different angles of incidence, the deviation first decreases, reaches a minimum, and then increases.
  • There is one and only one particular angle of incidence for minimum deviation.
  • At minimum deviation, i = i′.
3

3. Limiting Angle, Grazing Incidence, and Maximum Deviation

  • For the ray to just emerge from the second face, the angle of incidence at the second face must be the critical angle.
  • The critical angle is C = sin⁻¹(1/n).
  • The limiting angle of incidence is the angle of incidence at the first face for which the emergent ray just grazes the second face.
4

4. Dispersion of White Light and Angular Dispersion

  • White light is a mixture of lights of different colours.
  • Dispersion occurs because different colours travel at different speeds inside a material medium.
  • In vacuum or air, all colours travel with the same speed, 3 × 10^8 m/s.

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Full Notes

Key Concepts

A prism is a homogeneousThe angle of deviation δAs the angle of incidence changesAt minimum deviationFor a thin prism with angle

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the important topics in Refraction and Dispersion of Light through a Prism for ICSE Class 12 Physics?
Key topics in Refraction and Dispersion of Light through a Prism include Complete Chapter Mind Map: Refraction and Dispersion through a Prism, Refraction and Dispersion of Light through a Prism - Concept Overview, Flowchart showing the path of light through a prism and the key relationships. These are the concepts ICSE Class 12 examiners draw on most — study them first, then practise related questions.
How to score full marks in Refraction and Dispersion of Light through a Prism — ICSE Class 12 Physics?
Understand the core concepts first, then work through the 45 practice questions available for this chapter. Revise formulas and definitions regularly, and use flashcards for quick recall before the exam.

Sources & Official References

Content is aligned to the official syllabus. Refer to the board website for the latest curriculum.

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