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glossary

Prism: optical component made of a refractive medium in between two unparallel and polished plane surfaces
Refraction index: for a transparent medium, ratio between the light speed in the air and the light speed in the medium ; for a reflective surface in the air or vacuum, the refraction index is « - 1 »
Wavelength ( of a light wave ): distance between two consecutive identical states of the electric ( or magnetic ) field
Total deviation ( prism ): angular deviation of a light ray after refraction by a prism
Dispersion of deviation ( prism ): difference between the deviations of a prism at two different wavelengths