INDEX
INTRODUCTION
OBJECTIVE/AIM
APPARATUS/MATERIAL REQUIRED
DIAGRAM
THEORY
PROCEDURE
OBSERVATIONS
CALCULATIONS
RESULTS
PRECAUTIONS
SOURCES OF ERROR
BIBIOGRAPHY
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INTRODUCTION
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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
n =C/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.
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REFRACTION OF A LIGHT RAY
AIM:
To find the refractive indexes of (a) water (b) oil using a plane
mirror, an equiconvex 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
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DIAGRAM
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THEORY
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/F= 1/f1+ 1/f2
Liquid lens formed a Plano-concave Lens with R1=R and
R2=∞ then by using lens maker’s formula
1/f2=(n-1) [1/R1-1/R2]
=(n-1) [1/R1-1/∞]
=(n-1) [1/R1-0]
1/f2=(n-1) / R
n = R/f2+1
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
l= average distance between the spherometer
h=the difference in the reading of the spherometer when
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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). 6
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(b) For focal length of the combination:
1. 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.
2. Repeat the steps 3 and 4 to determine the equivalent
focal length of the combination.
3. Record the observation.
4. Repeat the steps 5, 6, 7 for other transparent liquid (oil).
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(c) 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 it completely. 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. Obtain the impressions of the three legs of the
spherometer on a paper and mark them and their
average distance.
l = (l1+l2+l3) / 3
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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
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Table for calculation of ‘h’
S.n Initial No. of Final Additional h= n x Mean
o reading complete reading C.S pitch “h”
of the rotations of the divisions + m x (cm)
C.S on (n) c.s on moved L.C
the the glass
convex slab
lens
(a)
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.no Tip of the Upper Mean Focal
between upper surface of X=(x1+x2)/2 Length
lens and surface of the plane (cm)
plane the mirror X2
mirror convex (cm)
lens X1
(cm)
Without 1 30.5 31 30.75 f1=33.85
Liquid 2 36.7 37.2 36.95
With 1 31.4 31.8 31.6 f2=34.7
water 2 37.5 38.1 37.8
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With oil 1 9.4 9.6 9.5 f3=10
2 10.4 10.6 10.5
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CALCULATIONS
Mean distance between two legs
l = (AB+BC+CA) / 3 = 3 cm
Mean of h
= (0.555+0.6) / 2 = 0.5775 cm
To find the radius of curvature of the convex lens:
R = l2/6h + h/2 = 2.8861 cm
Measurement of refractive indices of water and
oil:
1) With water between the convex lens and the plane
mirror:
µ1 = 1+ R/f2 = 1 + 2.8861/34.7 = 1.0831
2) With oil between the convex lens and the plane mirror
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µ2= 1 + R/f3 = 1 + 2.8861/10 = 1.2886
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RESULTS
The refractive index of water is µ1 = 1.0831
The refractive index of oil is µ2 = 1.2886
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PRECAUTIONS
1. The plane mirror should be clean and fully shining
surface.
2. The liquid taken should be transparent.
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 centre leg of the spherometer should turn in
one direction only.
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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.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Physics NCERT textbook XII B
www.google.com
www.wikipedia.com
www.scribd.com
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