When light enters a prism at an angle, it is bent toward which part of the prism?

When light enters a prism at an angle, it is bent toward the base of the prism. This phenomenon occurs due to the principle of refraction. As the light travels from one medium (air) into another medium (the prism material), it slows down, causing it to change direction. The bending occurs because different parts of the prism have different optical densities.

In a prism, the base refers to the wider part that is opposite the apex (the top point of the prism). As light passes through a prism, the angle at which it hits the surface (the incidence angle) determines how much it bends. Specifically, when the light enters at an angle, it will bend towards the base, making the light emerge at a different angle on the other side.

Understanding the geometry of the prism helps to visualize this process: as the light hits the surface slanting towards the apex, it redirects toward the base. This refraction effect is responsible for various optical phenomena observed in prisms, such as dispersion of light into its constituent colors.