PASCO 012-09900B Basic Optics System Prism Instructions
- August 23, 2024
- PASCO
Table of Contents
PASCO 012-09900B Basic Optics System Prism
Specifications
- Required Equipment: Basic Optics System Light Source, Trapezoid from Ray Optics Kit, Blank white paper
- Material: Acrylic
- Index of Refraction: 1.497 for 486 nm (blue light), 1.491 for 589 nm (yellow), 1.489 for 651 nm (red)
Theory
When a monochromatic light ray crosses from one medium to another, it is refracted according to Snell’s Law: n1sin(q1) = n2sin(q2)
Procedure
- Place the light source on a sheet of blank white paper and select a single white ray.
- Position the trapezoid with the acute-angled end as a prism for maximum light transmission.
- Rotate the trapezoid until the emerging ray separates into colors.
- (a) Note the colors seen and their order.
- (b) Identify which color is refracted at the largest angle.
- (c) Predict which color should refract at the largest angle based on Snell’s Law and index of refraction information.
- Select the three primary color rays without moving the light source and observe if they emerge parallel to each other.
FAQs
Q: What colors can be observed when using the prism?
A: The colors observed are dependent on the wavelength of light used – blue,
yellow, and red.
Q: Why do different colors refract at different angles through the prism?
A: The index of refraction for light varies with the frequency of light,
causing different colors to bend at different angles.
Q: Why do colored rays not emerge parallel to each other from the prism?
A: Colored rays do not emerge parallel because each color has a different
index of refraction, causing them to bend at varying angles.
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