Synopsis: Experiment to Measure the Refractive Index of a Liquid
Objective:
The aim of this experiment is to determine the refractive index of a liquid by
using a hollow prism and measuring the angles of incidence and refraction of light
as it passes through the liquid.
Introduction:
The refractive index of a material is a measure of how much the speed of light is
reduced inside the material compared to its speed in a vacuum. When light passes
from one medium to another, its speed and direction change due to the difference in
the refractive indices of the two media. This change in direction is known as
refraction.
𝑛
The refractive index (
𝑖
n) is given by Snell’s Law, which relates the angles of incidence (
𝑟
i) and refraction (
r) as:
𝑛
=
sin
𝑖
(
)
sin
𝑟
(
)
n=
sin(r)
sin(i)
where:
𝑖
n is the refractive index of the medium (in this case, the liquid).
i is the angle of incidence (the angle between the incoming light ray and the
𝑟
normal to the surface).
r is the angle of refraction (the angle between the refracted light ray and the
normal).
Apparatus Required:
Hollow prism (to hold the liquid)
Liquid (whose refractive index is to be determined)
Light source (a narrow beam of light)
Protractor (to measure the angles of incidence and refraction)
Screen (to view the refracted light rays)
Vernier calipers (optional for measuring the dimensions of the prism)
Theory:
When a light ray passes from one medium to another, its speed changes, causing the
light to bend. This bending of light is described by Snell’s Law, and the
refractive index can be calculated using the formula:
𝑛
=
sin
𝑖
(
)
sin
𝑟
(
)
n=
sin(r)
sin(i)
The experiment involves placing the liquid inside the hollow prism, directing a
light ray through it, and measuring the angles of incidence and refraction. By
applying Snell's Law, the refractive index of the liquid can be determined.
Procedure:
Set up the hollow prism and fill it with the liquid under test.
Direct a light ray through the prism, ensuring it strikes the first face of the
𝑖
prism at an angle of incidence
i.
𝑟
Measure the angle of refraction
r as the light exits the second face of the prism.
Repeat the measurements for different angles of incidence to get multiple values of
the refractive index.
Calculate the refractive index of the liquid using Snell’s Law for each set of
measurements.
Find the mean refractive index from the multiple readings for accuracy.
Observations and Calculations:
𝑛
The refractive index
n can be calculated for each measurement using Snell’s Law:
𝑛
=
sin
𝑖
(
)
sin
𝑟
(
)
n=
sin(r)
sin(i)
The mean refractive index is calculated by averaging the individual values obtained
from the different measurements.
Results:
The refractive index of the liquid can be reported as a single value after
calculating the mean from the experimental data.
Conclusion:
This experiment allows us to determine the refractive index of a given liquid by
measuring the angles of incidence and refraction when light passes through the
liquid-filled prism. The refractive index provides important information about how
light behaves when interacting with the liquid, which has practical applications in
optics and material science.
Precautions:
Ensure the liquid inside the prism is free from air bubbles.
Use a narrow, well-defined light beam for accurate measurements.
Be careful while measuring angles to avoid parallax error.
Ensure the prism is properly aligned with the light source to minimize errors in
reading the angles.
Sources of Error:
Parallax errors in angle measurements.
Imperfections in the prism’s surfaces.
Impurities or bubbles in the liquid, affecting light refraction.
Inaccuracies in the measurement of angles using the protractor.
