Physics Investigatory Project
Refractive Indices
Name: Anshu
Class: 12 A
Subject: Physics
Certificate
Acknowledgement
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all those who helped me
complete this project successfully.
Firstly, I would like to thank my class teacher, Mr Bhaskar Sharma , for
his constant support, valuable guidance and encouragement throughout
the process.
I would also like to extend my thanks to our school principal, Ms.K.
Vinitha, for providing all the necessary facilities required for this project.
Finally, I would like to thank my family who motivated me and boosted
my morale when I was stressed. Without their support, this project would
not have been possible.
Objective
To find the refractive indices of :
(a) water and
(b) oil (transparent)
using a plane mirror, an equiconvex lens (made from a glass of known
refractive index) and an adjustable object needle.
Introduction
Refraction of light is defined as the phenomenon in which the direction
of the propagation of light changes when it passes from one transparent
medium to another. This occurs due to the change in the speed of light in
different media.
The amount by which light bends depends on the refractive index of the
two mediums (media). The refractive index of a medium is a measure
of how much the speed of light reduces inside that medium compared to
its speed in vacuum.
Therefore, the refractive index of a medium is defined as the ratio of the
speed of light in vacuum (c) to the speed of light in that medium (v):
𝐶
𝑛= 𝑉
Where:
● 𝑛 is the refractive index of the medium
8
● 𝑐 is the speed of light in vacuum (3 × 10 m/s )
● 𝑣 is the speed of light in the medium
A higher refractive index indicates that light travels slower in that
medium, causing greater bending (refraction) when entering from a
different medium while a lower refractive index indicates that light travels
faster in that medium, causing lesser bending (refraction) when entering
from a different medium.
A common effect of refraction is that objects viewed through a denser
medium (like water or glass) appear to be closer to the surface than
they really are. This is because light rays from the object bend away as
they move from the denser medium into a rarer one like air (example-
when light passes from water/glass to air). Similarly, the light rays bend
closer as they move from the rarer medium to the denser medium
(example- when light passes from air to water/glass).
Since the refractive index of a medium quantifies how much the light
bends when entering or exiting that medium, it is also defined as the
ratio of the real depth (the actual depth at which an object is placed) to
the apparent depth (the depth at which the object appears to be located
when viewed from above).
𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑑𝑒𝑝𝑡ℎ
𝑛 = 𝐴𝑝𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑑𝑒𝑝𝑡ℎ
This relationship helps in determining the refractive index of any
transparent medium by comparing how deep an object appears to be
versus how deep it actually is.
This principle is fundamental in understanding how light interacts with
various materials and is applied in a wide range of optical instruments
and technologies, from lenses and microscopes to corrective eyewear
and fiber optics.
Materials Required
● Plane mirror
● Equiconvex lens (glass with known refractive index)
● Transparent liquid containers (one with water, one with transparent
oil)
● Adjustable optical bench or pin holder with needle
● Metre scale
● Retort stand or clamp (to hold mirror/lens setup steady)
● White sheet or screen
Procedure
1. Place the plane mirror horizontally on a stable surface.
2. Put the equiconvex lens on top of the mirror, ensuring it's centered.
3. Using a pin or an object needle held vertically above the lens,
adjust its height until a sharp image of the needle (formed by
reflection through the lens and mirror) coincides with the needle
itself when viewed from above.
4. Note the distance of the needle from the top surface of the lens.
This is the apparent depth of the image without any liquid.
5. Now, pour water into the concave space formed between the lens
and the mirror, making sure it fills the lens completely and doesn't
overflow.
6. Again, adjust the height of the needle until it visually coincides with
its reflected image through the lens and the water.
7. Note the new distance — this is the apparent depth with water.
8. Repeat the same procedure with transparent oil instead of water.
9. Using the lens-maker’s formula and Snell’s law, calculate the
refractive index of each liquid:
𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑑𝑒𝑝𝑡ℎ
𝑛= 𝐴𝑝𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑑𝑒𝑝𝑡ℎ
Observations
Medium Real Depth Apparent Refractive
(cm) depth (cm) Index
Air
Water
Oil
Conclusion
● The refractive index of water was found to be approximately
● The refractive index of transparent oil was found to be
approximately
● It was observed that the image formed through a denser medium
appears closer to the surface (reduced apparent depth), which
supports the concept of light bending when moving between
different media.
● The experiment successfully demonstrated how a simple setup
using a lens, mirror, and needle can be used to estimate the
refractive indices of transparent liquids.
Applications
1. Optical Lenses and Vision Correction
Refractive index plays a crucial role in designing eyeglasses and contact
lenses. By selecting materials with appropriate refractive indices, lenses
can be crafted to correct vision problems like myopia and hyperopia,
ensuring that light focuses correctly on the retina.
2. Fiber Optic Communications
Fiber optic cables rely on the principle of total internal reflection, which is
governed by the refractive indices of the core and cladding materials.
This allows for high-speed data transmission over long distances with
minimal signal loss.
3. Microscopy and Imaging
In microscopy, immersion oils with refractive indices matching that of
glass are used to reduce light refraction, enhancing image clarity and
resolution. This is particularly important in biological imaging where
precision is vital.
4. Astronomy and Atmospheric Studies
Refraction explains phenomena such as the apparent bending of
starlight and the occurrence of mirages. Understanding these effects is
essential in astronomical observations and atmospheric science.
5. Quality Control in Manufacturing
Refractometers are used in industries to determine the purity and
concentration of substances by measuring their refractive index. This is
common in the food and beverage industry, pharmaceuticals, and
petrochemicals.
6. Medical Diagnostics
Measuring the refractive index of biological tissues can aid in medical
diagnostics. For instance, changes in the refractive index of cells can
indicate pathological conditions, making it a non-invasive diagnostic tool.
Bibliography
https://mssiphiwemoyo.com/blog/practical-applications-of-refrac
tive-index/
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/real-life-applications-of-refractio
n-of-light/
https://www.mt.com/us/en/home/applications/Application_Brow
se_Laboratory_Analytics/Refractive_index/definition_and_meas
urement.html
https://arxiv.org/abs/1804.01721
