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11 Refractive Index - Using Concave Mirror

This document describes an experiment to determine the refractive index of a liquid (water) using a concave mirror. A concave mirror is filled with water and an optical needle is placed at the mirror's center of curvature. The apparent shift in the needle's image position is used to calculate the apparent and real radii of curvature. The ratio of these radii gives the refractive index of the liquid. Measurements are recorded in a table and the mean refractive index is calculated using the formula that relates the real and apparent radii to the refractive index. Precautions like cleaning the mirror and properly positioning and focusing the needle are described.

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Abhiram Chaturvedi
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9K views3 pages

11 Refractive Index - Using Concave Mirror

This document describes an experiment to determine the refractive index of a liquid (water) using a concave mirror. A concave mirror is filled with water and an optical needle is placed at the mirror's center of curvature. The apparent shift in the needle's image position is used to calculate the apparent and real radii of curvature. The ratio of these radii gives the refractive index of the liquid. Measurements are recorded in a table and the mean refractive index is calculated using the formula that relates the real and apparent radii to the refractive index. Precautions like cleaning the mirror and properly positioning and focusing the needle are described.

Uploaded by

Abhiram Chaturvedi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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AIM :

To find refractive index of any liquid (water) using a concave mirror.

APPARATUS:

A concave spherical mirror, water, an optical needle, a clamp stand, one meter scale, plumb
line, etc.

THEORY:

If the tip of object needle 0 be at the centre of curvature C, tip of image will exactly coincide
with it. (Principle axis is verticle to the plane).
When water is filled in concave mirror, object needle is again replaced to move to C' to remove
parallax between tips of object needle and its image.
A ray starting from C will reach at E without deviation because it is along radius of curvature.
Due to water in the concave mirror the position of object and image shifts to C' i.e., now ray starting
fromC' after refraction moves along ED and then DC to make apparent image of centre of curtature.

Object Needle Image

I
I
I
I

I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I

N /
I I
I I
I I
I I
I. I
II I

Fig. 1 : Refractive index of liquid

.. LNDC' = i (angel of incidence) = LBC'D


LMDE = r (angel of refraction) = LBCD
sin i DBIDC' DC
allw = sin r DBIDC DC'

DB
In LillC'D, sin i = DC'

DB
~BCD sin r = DC

For normal view, D will be near B.

BC
therefore allw = BC'

If small quantity of water in concave mirror B will be very near to P i.e.,


BC .:::PC and BC' .:::PC'

PC Real radius of curvature of mirror


allw = PC' = Apparent radius of curvature of mirror

PROCEDURE :
(i) Place the concave mirror on a horizontal surface (plane) so that its principle axis is along
vertical.
(ii) Hold the optical needle horizontally in a clamp stand so that its tip lies just above the pole
'P' and at a distance equal to 2f (f is focal length) as shown in figure 1.
(iii) Remove the parallex between the needle and its image.
(iv) Mark the real and inverted image of the optical needle in the mirror. Note the reading of
this image.
(v) Measure the distance (PC) using plumb line and metre scale.
(vi) This measured distance is the actual radius of curvature of the concave mirror.
(vii) Now add small amount of water to the concave mirror which will change the position of
image needle.
(viii) Adjust the screw to upper or lower the optical needle and adjust its position from 'C' to
'C" to remove parallex between the needle and its shifted image is seen.
(ix) Measure the distance (PC') which is the apparent radius of curvature of the concave mirror.
(x) Repeatedly do the experiment for four to five times and record the readings.

OBSERVA TIONS :
Rought focal length of the concave mirror, f = ern.
Table for refractive index (J.L)

R
S. Actual radius of Apparent radius of J.L = R' Mean J.L =
No. curvature (R) (in cm) curvature (R') (in cm)

CALCULATIONS :
Putting the observed values of actual radius R and apparent radius R' in
R
J.L = R' and calculate the value of refractive index of the given medium.

RESULT:
The refractive index of water, J.L = .
PRECAUTIONS:
(i) The mirror and surface of the water should be very clean.
of (ii) The needle should be clamped properly in horizontal position.
(iii) The parallex between the optical needle and its image should be removed properly.

SOURCES OF ERROR :
(i) The needle may not be proper horizontal.
(ii) Parallex may not be removed properly.

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