PHYSICS PROJECT

TOPIC:- To find the refractive indices of (a)water

(b)oil using a plane mirror, a equiconvex lens,
and adjustable object needle

SUBMITTED TO: SUBMITTED BY:

Departm_ent of Physics Name:-Adarsh Arya
Don Bosco School, Class:- 12
Panbazar, Guwahati Section:- B

.:
 CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that Mr. Adarsh Arya of class 12,
Roll no. \ f> , Lf+ . has successfully completed
the project on "To find the refractive indices of
water and oil using a plane mirror, a equiconvex
lens, and an adjustable object needle" under the
guidance of Dr. Manash Pratim Sarma and Dr.
Saumyajit Sengupta during the year 2022-2023 for
the partial fulfillment of AISSCE examination
This report is original and not copied from any from
any source.

(Signature of internal) (Signature of External)

Dr.Manash Pratim Sarma
Deparment of Physics
Don Bosco School,Guwahati
 ACKN OWLEDG EM ENT

In the accomplishment of this project successfully,

many people have bestowed upon me their blessings
and heart pledged support. I take this opportunity to
thank all the people that have been concerned with
this project
Firstly, I would like to acknowledge our Principal
for providing us with the appropriate infrastructure
for chemistry practical and project in our school.
Secondly, I would like to thank our Physics teacher
who have kept us at oar with Physics knowledge.
Thirdly, I would like to thank the Don Bosco
School Authorities for providing us the atmosphere
for the Physics project.
Last but not the least I would like to thank my parent
without whose support and guidance, I would not
have have been able to complete the project.

Thanking You,
Adarsh Arya
 CONTENT
•!•CERTIFICATE
ACKNOWLEDGE ENT
•!•CONTENT
1. INTRODUCTION
2. EXPERIMENT
• AIM
• APPARATUS REQUIRED
• DIAGRAM
• THEORY
• PROCEDURE
• OBSERVATIONS
• CALCULATIONS
• RESULT
• PRECAUTIONS
• SOURCES OF ERROR
3. BIBLIOGRAPHY
 INTRODUCTION
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

C
n -- - V
Where 'c' is the speed of light in vacuum and 'v' is 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 vacuum than it does in water.

refra tive index

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

APPARATUS REQUIRED:-
•!• Convex Lens
•!• Plane Mirror
•!•Water
•!•Oil
•!• Clamp Stand
•!•An Optical Needle
•!• Plumb Line
•!• Knitting Needle
•!• Half Meter Scale
•!• Glass Slab
•!• Spherometer
DIAGRAM:-

Fig. 3.1

( )
( }
THEORY:-
1. If ft and /2 be the focal length of the glass convex
lens and liquid lens and f be the focal length of their
cornbinati on then: -

1 1 1 F/2
- = --+ - or /2
F f1 /2 /1-F

2. Liquid lens formed a Plano-concave Lens with Rl R

and R2=oo then by using lens make's formula

2._ = en - 1) l_!_ - _!_J

fz R1 Rz

=en - 1) l_!_
Rt
- J
oo

1 n-1
-/2-- R

n=R-+ 1
/2
Where n == Refractive index of the liquid
3. The radius of the low r surface of the convex lens is
given by:
12 h
R=-+-
6h 2

Here, I is the average di tance 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.

PROCEDURE:-
(a) Porjocaf {engtli of convex,{ens:

1. Find the rough foe l length of·the convex lens.

2. Place a plane ,nirror 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 nieter scale.
Also measure the distance between tip of needle and
upper surface of the ,nirror. Take the mean of'the two
readings. This means distance will be equal to the.focal
length o_f the convex lens (fj).

(6) Por_{ocaf {engtli o_ftlie com6i:nation.

5. Put a few drops of he 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 deterniine the
equivalent focal length of the combination.
7. Record the observation.
8. Repeat the steps 5, 6, 7 for other transparent
liquid (oil).

(c) Porradius o_fcurvature o_fconvex{ens surface:

9. Detennine the pitch and the least count of the

spherometer.
 10. Ren1ove the convex lens and dry it con1pletely.
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 th surface of·the lens.

12. Ren1ove the spherometer from the surface of the

lens and place on the pla e mirror surface and record
the reading.

13. Repeat the steps O and 11 three times.

14. Obtain the impre sions of the three legs o_f

the spherometer on a paper and n1ark then1 and
their average distance.

OBSERVATIONS:-
Pitch of the spherometer= 1 cm

Least count of the spherometer = 0.01 cm

Distance between the leqs:

(1) AB = 3 cm
(2) BC = 3 cm
(3) CA = 3 cm
 Table for calculation of 'h'

S.No Initial reading No. of Final Additional h=n x Mean

of the C.S. on comp/et reading of c.s div. pitch "h/1
the convex rotations the c.s on moved +mx (cm)
lens the glass L.C
(a) (n) slab

1 62 0 6.5 55.5 0.555 0.5775

2 64 0 4 60 0.6

To measure focal length 1' of convex lens

Distance of needle tip from

Area S.No Tip of the upper Upper Mean Focal
X1 +Xz
between surface of the surface of x= Length
2
lens and convex fen (cm) the plane (cm)
plane mirror X1 mirror(cm)
X2
Without 1 30.5 31 30.75 Ji=
liquid 33.85
2 36.7 37.2 36.95

With water 1 31.4 31.8 31.6 /2=34.7

2 37.5 38.1 37.8

I With oil
CALCULATIONS:-
Mean distance between two legs

l == AB+Bc+cA= 3 cm
3

555 6
Mean of = (0. +o. ) - -- 0.5775 cm
h 2

To find the radius of curvature of the convex Jens:

Measurement of refractive indices of water and oil

1} With water between the convex lens and the plane mirror:

R 2.8861
µ1=1+-= 1+--=l.0831
[2 34.7

2) With oil between the convex lens and the plane Mirror

µz = 1 + !!._ = 1 + 2.8861 = 1.2886

h 10
 RESULTS:-
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
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:-
1. Liquid may not be quite transparent.
2. The parallax may no be fully removed.
3. The spherometer legs should be placed symmetrical on
the surface of the convex lens.
4. The tip of the centra screw should not just touch the
surface of lens or mirror.

L-
 BIBLIOGRAPHY
•!• NCERT Book
•!•Wikipedia
•!• Zetascience
•!• Sciencejournals
•!•Scribd