MARAIMALAI ADIGAL GOVERNMENT

HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL

EMBALAM, PUDUCHERRY – 605004
(AFFILIATED TO CBSE, NEW DELHI. - AFFILIATION NO. : _____________)

PHYSICS INVESTIGATORY
PROJECT
ON
“ Determination of
Refractive Indices of water
and oil using an Equiconvex
lens ”

NAME : R. Devanath

CLASS : XII - A1

SUBJECT : Physics

SUBJECT CODE : 042

 MARAIMALAI ADIGAL GOVERNMENT HIGHER
SECONDARY SCHOOL
EMBALAM, PUDUCHERRY – 605004
(AFFILIATED TO CBSE, NEW DELHI. - AFFILIATION NO. : _____________)

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that “ R.Devanath” of class XII - A1 has successfully

completed the investigatory project on the topic

“Determination of Refractive indices of Water and Oil using an

Equiconvex lens”

Under my guidance during the year (2024 - 2025) in partial fulifillment

of the Physics Practical Examination conducted by CBSE.

Sign of Physics Teacher Internal Examiner

Sign of Vice Principal External Examiner

MARAIMALAI ADIGAL GOVERNMENT HIGHER

SECONDARY SCHOOL
 EMBALAM, PUDUCHERRY – 605004
(AFFILIATED TO CBSE, NEW DELHI. - AFFILIATION NO. : _____________)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I express my deep sense of gratitude to my Physics teacher and guide Mrs.

Bhagya, Lecturer (Physics) ,Guided me through out the course of the project
and for the successful completion. His Valuable duidance, constant
encouragement, constrative cmments and motivation enforced me to complete
this project.

Then I would like to express mu sincre thanks to Mrs. Chithra , ( Vice

Principal of Maraimalai adigal Government higher Secondary School
embalam,) Puducherry for providing me an opportunity and coordination in
extending every possible support for completion of this projict.

I also express my thanks to my parents and sibilings for their motivation and
support. I must thank to my close friend for their timely help and support. I
would also like to thank all those who have directly or indirectly helped me
towards the completion of this project.

Student Name : R.Devanath.

Class : XII - A1
 INDEX

CERTIFICATE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
INTRODUCTION
OBJECTIVE / AIM
APPARATUS / MATERIAL REQUIRED
DIAGRAM
THEORY
PROCEDURE
OBSERVATIONS
CALCULATIONS
RESULTS
PRECAUTIONS
SOURCES OF ERRORS
BIBLIOGRAPHY
 INTRODUCTION

In optics, the refractive index or index of refraction n of

a material is a dimensionless number that describes how light propagates
through that medium. It is defined as
C
n=
V

Where c is the speed of light in vacuum and v is the phase velocity of

light in the medium. For example, the refractive index of water is 1.333;
meaning that light travels 1.333 times faster in a vacuum than it does in water.
 AIM

To find the refractive indexes of (a) water (b) oil

using a plane mirror, an equi-convex lens, and
an adjustable object needle.

APPARATUS

 Convex Lens
 Plane Mirror
 Water
 Oil
 Clamp Stand
 An Optical Needle
 Plumb Line
 Knitting Needle
 Half Meter Scale
 Glass Slab
 Spherometer

DIAGRAM
 THEORY
1. If f1 and f2 be the focal length of the glass convex
lens and liquid lens and f be the focal length of their
combination then:-
1 1+ 1
or f2 = f F−f F
F =f 1 f 2 1
2

2. Liquid lens formed a Plano-concave Lens with

R1=R and R2=∞ then by using lens make’s formula
1 1 1
=( n −1 ) ⌊ − ⌋
f2 R1 R 2

1 1
=( n −1 ) ⌊ R 1 − ∞ ⌋

1
= (n-1)⌊ R −0 ⌋

1 n −1
= R
f2
R
n = f +1 2

Where, N = Refractive index of the liquid

R = the radius of the curvature of the Convex lens

 2. The radius of the lower surface of the convex lens is
given by:

2
l h
R= +
6h 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 plane mirror.
 PROCEDURE

A) For focal length of convex lens:

1. Find the rough focal length of the convex lens.

2. Place a plane mirror on the horizontal base of the

iron stand and then a convex lens on the plane mirror.

3. Hold the needle in the clamp stand and adjust its

position on the stand such that there is no parallax
between tip of the needle and its image.

4. Measure distance between tip and upper surface of

the lens by using a plumb line and half meter scale.
Also measure the distance between tip of needle and
upper surface of the mirror. Take the mean of the two
readings. This means distance will be equal to the
focal length of the convex lens (f1)
 B) For focal length of the
combination.

5. Put a few drops of the water on the plane mirror

and put the convex lens over it with its same face
above as before. The water spreads in a form of layer
and acts like a Plano-concave lens.

6. Repeat the steps 3 and 4 to determine the equivalent

focal length of the combination.

7. Record the observation.

8. Repeat the steps 5, 6, 7 for other transparent liquid

(oil).

C)For radius of curvature of convex

lens surface:

9. Determine the pitch and the least count of the

spherometer.

10. Remove the convex lens and dry it completely. Put

the spherometer on this lens surface.
11. 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.

12. Remove the spherometer from the surface of the

lens and place on the plane mirror surface and record
the reading.

13. Repeat the steps 10 and 11 three times.

14. Obtain the impressions of the three legs of the

spherometer on a paper and mark them and their
average distance.

l 1+l 2 +l 3
l= 3
 OBSERVATIONS

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’

Initial reading No. of Final Additional h=n x Mean

S.No of the C.S. on complete reading of C.S div. pitch “h”
the convex rotations the c.s on moved + m x (cm)
lens the glass L.C
(a) (n) slab

1 62 0 6.5 55.5 0.555 0.5775

2 64 0 4 60 0.6
 To measure focal length ‘f’ of convex lens

Distance of needle tip from

Area S. Tip of the upper Upper Mean Focal
between No surface of the surface of x1 + x 2 Length
x= 2
lens and convex lens(cm) the plane (cm)
plane mirror X1 mirror(cm)
X2
Without 1 30.5 31 30.75 f1= 33.85
liquid
2 36.7 37.2 36.95

With water 1 31.4 31.8 31.6 f2=34.7

2 37.5 38.1 37.8
With oil 1 9.4 9.6 9.5 f3=10
2 10.4 10.6 10.5

CALCULATIONS

Mean distance between two legs

AB+ BC+ CA
l=
3
= 3 cm

( 0.555+0.6 )
Mean of h = 2
= 0.5775 cm
To find the radius of curvature of the convex lens:
2
l ℎ
R= + =2.8861 cm
6ℎ 2

Measurement of refractive indices of water and oil

1) With water between the convex lens and the plane mirror:

R 2.8861
μ1=1+ =1+ =1.0831
f2 34.7
2) With oil between the convex lens and the plane Mirror

R 2.8861
μ2=1+ =1+ =1.2886
f3 10

RESULTS
 The refractive index of water is µ1 = 1.0831

 The refractive index of oil is µ2 = 1.2886

PRECAUTIONS

1) The 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 30 cm from

the needle while removing the parallax.

5) Only few drops of liquid should be taken so that its

layer should be thick.

6) The legs of the spherometer should be vertical.

7) The plane mirror should be clean and fully shining

surface.

8) The liquid taken should be transparent.

9) Parallax should be removed tip to tip.

10)Eye should be at a distance about 30 cm from the

needle while removing the parallax.

11)Only few drops of liquid should be taken so that

its layer should be thick.

12)The legs of the spherometer should be vertical.

13)The centre leg of the spherometer should turn in

one direction only.
 SOURCES 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 convex lens.

4. The tip of the central screw should not just touch the
surface of lens or mirror.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

 HELP FROM INTERNET

 HELP FROM TEACHERS
 NCERT TEXTBOOK
 NCERT Physics Lab Manual
 www.google.com
 www.wikipedia.com