PHYSICS PROJECT
TOPIC : To Find The Refractive Index of Water, Oil
Using A Plane Mirror and A Equiconvex Lens and An
Adjustable Object Needle
NAME : OLIVER
WALLACE.T CLASS : XII – D
SUNBEAM SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE
BONAFIDE CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that Oliver Wallace.T studying in grade XII-
D at Sunbeam School Of Excellence for the academic year
2024- 2025 has successfully completed his To Find The
Refractive Index of Water, Oil Using A Plane Mirror and A
Equiconvex Lens and An Adjustable Object Needle. Physics
project and submitted the report for AISSCE board
practical examination held on …………………
TEACHER PRINCIPAL
INTERNAL TEACHER EXTERNAL TEACHER
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to thank my Physics teacher,
Mr.D.Ramanjaneyulu M.Sc,B.Ed.,
for his valuable guidance and kind approach in creating
more interested in the subject.
I would like to thank the management for giving us the
opportunity to undertake this project and for providing us
the resources to make this project a successful one.
I would also like to thank my classmates for their kind
cooperation and help in successfully completing the
project.
INDEX:
● introduction
● Objective
● Materials Required
● Theory
● Procedure
● Observation
● Calculation
● Results
● Precautions
● Sources of error
INTRODUCTION:
In optics, the refractive index (a.k.a. refraction index) of an optical medium is a
dimensionless number that indicates the light-bending ability of that medium.
The refractive index determines how much the path of light is bent, or refracted
when entering a material. This is described by Snell's law of refraction, n1 sin θ1 = n2
sin θ2, where θ1 and θ2 are the angles of incidence and refraction, respectively, of a
ray crossing the interface between two media with refractive indices n1 and n2.
Objective
To find the refractive index of water, oil using a plane mirror and an equiconvex lens
and an adjustable object needle.
MATERIALS REQUIRED:
1. Convex lens
2. Plane mirror
3. Water
4. Oil
5. Clamp stand
6. An optical needle
7. Plumb line
8. Knitting needle
9. Half meter scale
10.Glass slab
11.Spherometer
THEORY:
If f1 and f2 be the focal lengths of glass convex lens and liquid lens, and F be the
focal length of their combination, then:
1/f = 1/f¹ + 1/f² or f² = ff²/f¹-f
Liquid lens formed is a planoconcave lens with R1 = R (radius of curvature of convex
lens surface), R2 = ∞
1/f² =(n-1) [1/R1 - 1/R² ]
1/f² = (n-1) [1/R - 0]
1/f² = n-
1/R n =
R/f² + 1
Where n = Refractive index of the liquid
R = The radius of the curvature of the convex lens.
The radius of the lower surface of the convex lens is given by:
R = l²/6h + h/2
Here, l is the average distance between the legs of the spherometer, and h is the
difference in the reading of the spherometer when placed first on the convex lens
and then on the plane mirror.
The text extracted from the image is as follows:
Fig: Focal length of glass convex lens and liquid lens combination
PROCEDURE :
For focal length of convex
lens
1. Take any one convex lens and find its rough focal length.
2. Take a plane mirror and place it on the horizontal base of the iron stand.
3. Place the convex lens on the plane mirror.
4. Screw tight the optical needle in the clamp of the stand and hold it horizontally
above the lens at a distance equal to its rough focal length.
5. Bring the tip of the needle at the vertical principal axis of the lens, so that tip
of the needle appears touching the tip of its image.
6. Move the needle up and down and remove parallax between tips of the needle and
its image.
7. Measure distance between tip and upper surface of the lens by using a
plumb line and half-metre scale.
8. Also measure distance between tip and the surface of its plane mirror.
For focal length of the combination
1. Take a few drops of transparent liquid on the plane mirror and put the convex
lens over it with its same face above as before (A plano concave liquid lens is
formed between plane mirror and convex lens).
2. Repeat steps 6, 7, and 8.
3. Record your observations as given below.
For radius of curvature of convex lens surface:
1. Determine the pitch and the least count of the spherometer.
2. Remove the convex lens and dry incompletely. Put the spherometer on this lens
surface.
3. All the three legs of the spherometer should be placed symmetrically on the
lens and adjust the central screw tip to touch the surface of the lens.
4. Remove the spherometer from the surface of the lens and place on the plane
mirror surface and record the reading.
5. Repeat the steps 10 and 11 three times.
6. Obtain the impressions of the three legs of the spherometer on a paper and
mark them and their average distance.
l = \frac{l_1 + l_2 + l_3}{3}
OBSERVATION:
Pitch of the spherometer = 1 cm
Least count of the spherometer = 0.01
cm Distance between the legs:
1. AB = 3 cm
2. BC = 3 cm
3. CA = 3 cm
Table for calculation of 'h’
To measure focal length 'f' of convex lens
CALCULATION :
Mean distance between two legs
l = AB + BC + CA / 3 = 3 cm
Mean of h
h = (0.555 + 0.6) / 2 = 0.5775 cm
To find the radius of the curvature of the
convex lens: R = l^2 / 6h + h / 2 = 2.8861 cm
Measurement of refractive index of water and oil
1. With water between the convex lens and the plane mirror:
2. With oil between the convex lens and plane mirror
RESULTS :
The refractive index of water is μ₁ =
1.0831 The refractive index of oil is μ₂ =
1.2886
PRECAUTIONS :
1.he plane mirror should be clean and fully shining
surface. 2.the liquid taken should be transparent.
3. the parallax should be removed tip to tip.
4. the eye should be at a distance about 30cm from the needle while
removing the parallax. 5.only a few drops of liquid should be taken so that it's
layer should be thick.
6. the legs of the spherometer should be vertical.
7. The centre leg of the spherometer should turn in one direction only.
SOURCE OF ERROR:
1.liquid may not be quite
transparent. 2.the parallax may not
be fully removed.
3.the spherometer legs should be placed symmetrical on the surface of the
convexlens. 4.the tip of the central screw should not just touch the surface of
lens or mirror.
