The light ray that passes through the prism and emerges at the angle of minimum deviation for that ray is
A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) 4
E) 5

Question

The light ray that passes through the prism and emerges at the angle of minimum deviation for that ray is
A) 1 
B) 2 
C) 3 
D) 4 
E) 5

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The angle of minimum deviation occurs when the incident angle and the refracted angle are equal, which is only possible for one wavelength of light (monochromatic light). This wavelength corresponds to the third line (C) in the visible spectrum, therefore the light ray that passes through the prism and emerges at the angle of minimum deviation for that ray is option (C).

The Light Ray That Passes Through the Prism and Emerges