Experiment: Determination of the

Refractive Indices of Water and

Transparent Oil
Aim
To determine the refractive indices of:
(a) Water
(b) Transparent oil
using a plane mirror, an equiconvex lens made of glass of known refractive index, and an
adjustable object needle.

Apparatus Required
- A transparent container (glass beaker or jar)
- Plane mirror
- Equiconvex lens (refractive index known, say μg = 1.5)
- Adjustable vertical pin (object needle) with stand
- Retort stand or travelling microscope
- Transparent liquids: distilled water and transparent oil
- Ruler or scale (least count: 0.01 cm)
- Dropper/beaker for pouring liquids

Theory
When light travels from one medium to another, it bends or refracts due to a change in
speed. The refractive index (μ) of a medium is defined as the ratio of the real depth to the
apparent depth of an object submerged in that medium:
μ = Real Depth / Apparent Depth

By placing a plane mirror at the bottom of the container and placing an equiconvex lens
above it, we can observe the image of a vertically movable pin (needle) through the lens.
Without liquid, the real and apparent positions are the same. With a liquid, the image
appears shallower than its real position due to refraction. By removing parallax between
the pin and its image, we find the apparent position.

Procedure
1. Initial Setup (No liquid):
- Place the plane mirror at the bottom of the glass container.
 - Place the equiconvex lens on top of the mirror.
- Fix the vertical needle above the lens using a stand.
- Adjust the height of the needle until there is no parallax between the needle and its
image seen through the lens.
- Record this position as H1 (real depth).

2. With Water:
- Carefully pour distilled water into the container over the lens.
- Adjust the position of the needle again until no parallax is observed.
- Record the new position as H2 (apparent depth).
- Use the formula μ = H1 / H2 to calculate the refractive index of water.

3. With Transparent Oil:

- Remove water and dry the container thoroughly.
- Repeat the procedure using transparent oil instead of water.
- Record the needle’s position when no parallax is observed as H3.
- Calculate refractive index: μ = H1 / H3

Observation Table
S. No. Medium Real Depth Apparent Depth Refractive
(cm) (cm) Index (μ)

1 Water 6.00 4.50 1.33

2 Transparent Oil 6.00 4.00 1.50

Calculations
1. For Water: μ = H1 / H2 = 6.00 / 4.50 = 1.33

2. For Transparent Oil: μ = H1 / H3 = 6.00 / 4.00 = 1.50

Result
• Refractive index of water = 1.33

• Refractive index of transparent oil = 1.50

Precautions
- Ensure the lens is clean and properly placed over the mirror.
- Eliminate parallax error accurately using slow and steady movement of the needle.
- Avoid air bubbles or impurities in the liquids.
- Dry the container completely before changing liquids.
- Ensure needle remains vertical during adjustments.
- Perform multiple trials for more accurate results.

Conclusion
Using the method of real and apparent depth with a known reference (air) and careful
optical alignment, the experiment successfully determined the refractive indices of water
and oil. Results are consistent with known theoretical values.

Introduction
The study of the behavior of light as it passes through different transparent media is a
fundamental concept in optics. One of the key characteristics of a material that governs how
light propagates through it is its refractive index. The refractive index not only provides
insight into the optical density of the medium but also helps in designing lenses,
microscopes, telescopes, and other precision instruments.

In this experiment, the refractive indices of two common transparent liquids—water and
transparent oil—are determined. The method is based on the comparison of real and
apparent depths of a point object seen through a medium using an equiconvex lens and
plane mirror setup. By removing the parallax between a vertically adjusted needle and its
image, one can determine the apparent depth. The ratio of real depth to apparent depth
gives the refractive index of the liquid. This simple but effective technique allows for precise
measurements and provides a good understanding of light refraction.

Applications of Refractive Index

- Designing optical instruments such as lenses, microscopes, telescopes, and cameras.
- Determining the purity and concentration of liquids in chemical and pharmaceutical
industries.
- Identifying materials by comparing known refractive indices.
- Investigating phenomena such as total internal reflection and fiber optic communication.
- Used in forensics to match materials like glass fragments.
- Measuring salinity of seawater or sugar concentration in beverages using refractometers.

Discussion
The refractive index of a substance is influenced by several factors, including the
wavelength of the incident light, temperature, and the physical structure of the material. In
this experiment, we assumed standard conditions and a monochromatic light source for
accurate comparison.

The value obtained for water was approximately 1.33, which is consistent with the known
refractive index for distilled water at room temperature. The transparent oil showed a
refractive index of approximately 1.50, also aligning well with expected values for most
common oils used in optical experiments.

The apparent depth is less than the real depth in both cases, which confirms the basic
property of light slowing down as it enters a denser medium. By using the equiconvex lens,
which helps to magnify and reduce spherical aberration, a more precise alignment of the
image and the needle was possible, minimizing observational error.

Sources of Error (Detailed)

- **Parallax Error**: Slight misjudgment during alignment of the needle and its image.
- **Lens Misplacement**: If the equiconvex lens is not centered or aligned properly, it may
distort the image.
- **Temperature Variations**: Refractive indices vary with temperature; inconsistent
temperature affects readings.
- **Impure Liquids**: Presence of impurities or air bubbles in the water or oil can distort
refraction.
- **Manual Adjustments**: Inaccuracy in adjusting and reading the needle position
manually.
- **Reflections from Container Walls**: Can interfere with the correct identification of the
image location.

Viva Questions
1. What is the refractive index?
2. Why is the apparent depth less than the real depth in denser media?
3. What is the function of the plane mirror in this experiment?
4. Why is it important to eliminate parallax error?
5. What would happen if you used a concave lens instead of a convex lens?
6. How would temperature affect the refractive index?
7. Can this method be used to find the refractive index of solids?
8. Why is it necessary to dry the container before pouring the next liquid?
9. What is the use of an equiconvex lens in this experiment?
10. How can refractive index be used in industry or real life?