DAYAL BAGH

EDUCATIONAL
INSTITUTE
PHYSICS GD
(FRESNEL BIPRISM)
SUBMITTED BY:1.AJAY KR. KOTHARI
2.

Fresnel Biprism
Augustin-Jean Fresnel was a
French physicist who contributed
significantly to the establishment
of the wave theory of light and
optics.
He
gave
a
simple
arrangement
for
the
production of
interference

Prism
A
prism
is
a
wedge-shaped
transparent body which causes
incident light to be separated by
color. The separation by color
occurs
since
different
colors
corresponding
to
different
Itwavelengths.
is a device used to refract light,
reflect it or break it up (to disperse
it) into its constituent spectral
colours.

D
E

( 1)

Applications of Fresnel
Biprism
Working of Fresnel Biprism is based on the

phenomenon of interference of light

waves.
Biprism is a combination of two acute
angled prisms placed base to base.In
practice, it is constructed as a single
prism of obtuse angle 178 and acute
angle is about 1 on both sides.
Its two important applications are:
1) Determination of wavelength() of
monochromatic light.
2) Determination of thickness of thin sheet
of transparent material.

D=distance between
source of waves &
screen.
d = distance between
virtual sources which
are produced by
refraction.

When the light from source s falls on the

lower part of biprism,it appears to come

from virtual source S2 due to refraction.
Similarly when light from the source s falls
on the upper part of biprism ,it appears to
come from the virtual source S1.
Hence,S1andS2 act as two coherent
sources.
The point o on the screen is equidistant
from source S1 & S2,hence it has
maximum intensity.On both sides of
O,alternate dark & bright fringes are
produced.

Condition for maxima : Intensity at any

point on the screen is maximum if path
difference
=n

;where

n=0,1,2,3.
Condition for minima : Intensity at any
point on the screen is minimum if path
difference
=(2n+1)/2

;where

n=0,1,2,3
Expression for fringe width : Fringe

In order to determine the

wavelength() of monochromatic
light (from source S) the
following observations are
made:1.)The position of slit and eyepiece and distance
D are noted.
2.) Set the crosswire of eyepiece on one
particular fringe and note the reading. Move the
eyepiece and count the number of fringes
shifted. Take reading again .Find the difference
between these two readings and calculate Y bar.

A convex lens
between biprism
and eyepiece is
introduced . The
distance between
images of S1 and S2
(d) is measured .
From figure it is
clear
d1/d=v/u=n/m
md1=nd.(i)

Move the lens

towards eyepiece
and set it to position
L2.Measure the
distance between
the two images.From
fig
d2/d=v/u=m/n
nd2=md.(ii)
Multiply eq (i) &(ii)
and solving we get:
D=(d1d2)
Putting values of

D,Yand d we get
=Y2d/D