Physics Investigatory project

(2022-23)

Topic :-
To find the refractive indices of
(a) water (b) oil using a plane
mirror, an equiconvex lens and an
adjustable object needle.

Name - Dhaknesh Raj c

Class – XII

Sec - C7

Roll no. – 08

INDEX:-

1
S.no Topics
1 INTRODUCTION
2 OBJECTIVE / AIM
3 APPARATUS / MATERIAL REQUIRED
4 DIAGRAM
5 THEORY
6 PROCEDURE
7 OBSERVATIONS
8 CALCULATIONS
9 RESULTS
10 PRECAUTIONS
11 SOURCES OF ERRORS
12 BIBLIOGRAPHY

AIM:-
To find the refractive indices of (a) water (b) oil using a plane
mirror, an equiconvex lens and an adjustable object needle.
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 cis the speed of light in vacuum and vis 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.

REFRACTION OF A LIGHT:-

When a light ray is incident on the surface

separating two media, the direction of the ray changes. This
phenomenon is known as the Reractionof light. The speed of light is

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maximum in the vacuum. In any medium, light travels with less speed.
Due to this, the direction of light changes at the interface of two
different media. The frequency of the incident light remains constant but
the speed and wavelength change. When a light ray enters a denser
medium, it bends closer to the normal whereas for a lighter medium, the
ray shifts away from the normal. 

APPARATUS:-
 CONCAVE
 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:-

1. If f7 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 (or) f2= Ff2/f1-F
2. Liquid lens formed a Plano-concave Lens with RI=R and R2= ∞ then
by using lens make’s formula.
1/f2=(n-1)[1/R1-1/R2]
=(n-1)[1/R1-1/∞ ]
=(n-1)[1/R-0]
1/f2=n-1/R
n= R/f2+1
3.The radius of the lower surface of the convex lens is given by :

R= l^2/6h+h/2
Here,l is the average distance between the legs of the spherometer and h
is the difference in the reading of the spherometer when placed first on
the convex lens and then on plane mirror.

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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).
(b) For focal length of the combination:-
5.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.
6. Repeat the steps 3 and 4 to determine the equivalent
focal length of the combination.

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7. Record the observation.
8. Repeat the steps 5, 6, 7 for other transparent liquid(oil).
(c) Forradius of curvature of convex lens surface:-
9.Determine the pitch and the least count of the spherometer.
10. Remove the convex lens and dry it completely. Put
the spherometer on this lens surface.
11. 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.
12. Remove the spherometer from the surface of the lens
and place on the plane mirror surface and record the reading.
13. Repeat the steps 10 and 11 three times.
14. 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
Observation :-
Pitch of the spherometer= 1 cm
Least count of the spherometer = 0.01 cm
Distance between the legs:
(1)AB = 3cm
(2)BC = 3cm
(3)CA = 3cm

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Table for calculation of ‘h’:-
S.n Initial No.of Final Additional h=n x Mean
o reding complete reading C.S pitch+m “h”(cm)
of the reactions of the div.moved x
C.S. (n C.S n L.c
on the the
convex glass
lens slab
(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
mirror convex (cm) X2
lens (cm)
X1
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
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=3cm
Mean of h =(0.555+0.6)/2=0.5775cm
To find the radius of curvature of the convex lens :
R=l^2/6h+h/2=2.8861cm
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:

 μ2=1+R/f3=1+2.8861/10=1.2886

Result:-
 The refractive index of water is  μ1 = 1.0831
 The refractive index of oil is  μ2 = 1.2886

Precautions :-
1.The plane mirror should be clean and fully shining surface.
2. The liquid taken should be transparent.
3. 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

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 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.

Sources of error :-
* Liquid may not be quite transparent.
* The parallax may not be fully removed.
* The spherometer legs should be placed symmetrical on the surface
of the convex lens.
* The tip of the central screw should not just touch the surface of
lens or mirror.
Bibliography:-
# Help from internet
# Help from teachers
# NCERT physics lab manual
# www.google.com
# www.wikipedia.com

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