BaluniPublicSchool

Physics
investigatory file
Topic: To find the refractive indices of
water and Turpentine oil.

Submitted By: Submitted To:

Swarit Singh Mr. pushpendra Yadav
Chauhan Pgt - Physics
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 Index
1. AIM
2. APPARATUS
3. THEORY
4. PROCEDURE
5. DIAGRAM
6. OBSERVATION
7. CALCULATION
8. RESULT
9. PRECAUTIONS
10. SOURCES OF ERROR
11. BIBLIOGRAPHY

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 Certificate
This is to certify that Swarit Singh Chauhan of
Class 12 has successfully completed the physics
project on the topic “To find refractive indices of
water and turpentine oil using a plane mirror
,a equiconvex lens (made from a glass of
known refractive index)and an adjustable
object needle” for class XII practical examination
of the Central Board of Secondary Education in the
year 2024-25 .It is the further certified that this
project is the individual work of the candidate .

_____________________

Signature of The Teacher

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 Acknowledgement
I would like to express my special thanks of gratitude
to my Physics Teacher as well as our principal who
gave me the golden opportunity to do this wonderful
project which also helped me in doing a lot of
Research and I came to know about so many new
things I am really thankful to them.

Secondly, I would also like to thank my parents and

friends who helped me a lot in finalizing this project
within the limited time frame.

____________________

Name of the Student

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Aim:
To find refractive indices of water and turpentine oil using a plane
mirror, an equiconvex lens (made from a glass of known refractive
index) and an adjustable object needle.

Apparatus:
A convex lens, an optical needle, a plane mirror, a clamp stand, a
spherometer, a plumb line, metre scale, water and turpentine oil.

Theory:
Let’s add small amount of water on a flat, plane surface and place a
convex lens over it. This forms a plano-concave lens of water
between the lower surface of convex lens and plane mirror.

Let f1 and f2 are the focal lengths of water lens and convex lens
respectively, then focal length of the combination is:
1 1 1
= +
𝐹 𝑓1 𝑓2

1 1 1
The focal length of the plano-concave lens 𝑓1
= −
𝐹 𝑓2
…(i)
is,

1 1 1
From Lens Maker’s formula, = (𝜇 − 1) ( − )
𝑓1 𝑅1 𝑅2
1
=(𝜇 − 1)
𝑅

∴ R1 = R and R2 = ∞ for water lens.

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∴ The refractive index of water is , 𝜇 = 1 +
𝑅
…(ii)
𝑓1

(where ‘R’ is the radius of curvature of the concave surfaces of

the plano-concave lens).
𝑙2 ℎ
The Radius of curvature of the lens, is 𝑅 - + …(iii)
6ℎ 2

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Procedure:

I. For finding the focal length of convex lens:

(i) Measure the rough focal length of the convex lens.

(ii) Place the plane mirror with the convex lens placed on
it above the horizontal base of a clamp stand
horizontally as its tip lies vertically above the optical
centre of the lens. Adjust the needle at a height a little
more than the rough focal length of the convex lens.

(iii) Try to remove the parallax between the tip of the

object needle and its image tip.

(iv) Note the distance of the tip of the needle from the
centre of the upper surface of the lens. Let it be x1.
(Use plumb line).
(v) Remove the convex lens and measure the distance of
the tip of the needle from the plane mirror. Let it be x2.
(Use plumb line)
(vi) Repeat and record all the observations.

II. For finding the focal length of the plano-concave

lens:

Pour few drops of water over the plane mirror and place the

convex lens over it. Repeat steps (ii) to (iv) as done above.
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 Repeat the procedure with turpentine oil also.

III. For finding ‘l’:

Determine the pitch and least count of scale of the

spherometer. Place the spherometer on the dried surface of
the convex lens. Turn the screw downwards very gently till
the tip of the screw just touches the lens. Read and record
the reading.

Keep the spherometer’s legs on the base of a paper and

adjusting the central screw, find the pricks A, B and C of the
three legs of the spherometer. Join the centres of the three
pricks and measure the lengths with the half-metre scale.
Note the values of AB, BC and AC.

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Fig: (a) to find focal length of convex lens

(b) for the length of legs AB, BC, CA of the spherometer

Fig: to find focal length of the plano concave lens

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 Observations

Pitch of the spherometer= 1 cm

Least count of the spherometer = 0.01 cm

Distance between the legs:

(1) AB = 3 cm
(2) BC = 3 cm
(3) CA = 3 cm

Table for calculation of ‘h’

S.No Initial No. of Final Additional h=n x Mea

reading of complete reading C.S pitch n “h”
the C.S. on rotations of the c.s div + m x
the on the . moved L.C
convex (n) glass slab
lens
(a)
1 62 0 6.5 55.5 0.555 0.5775
2 64 0 4 60 0.6

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 To measure focal length f ‘ of convex lens

Distance of needle tip from

Area S.No Tip of the upper Upper Mean Focal
𝑥1+ 𝑥2
between surface of the surface x= lengt
2
lens and convex lens of the h
plane X1 plane
mirror mirror
X2
Without 1 30.5 31 30.75 f1=
liquid 2 36.7 37.2 36.95 33.85
With water 1 31.4 31.8 31.6 f2=34.7
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

CALCULATIONS
Mean distance between two legs
𝐴𝐵+𝐵𝐶+𝐶𝐴
𝑙= =3 cm
3

Mean h = 0.7557 cm

To find the radius of curvature of the convex lens:

𝑙2 ℎ
𝑅= + = 2.27366 𝑐𝑚
6ℎ 2

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Measurement of refractive indices of water and turpentine oil
1) With water between the convex lens and the plane mirror:

𝑅 2.27366
𝜇1 = 1 + = 1+ = 1.06552
𝑓2 34.7

2) With turpentine oil between the convex lens and the

plane mirror

𝑅 2.27366
𝜇2 = 1 + = 1+ = 1.22736
𝑓3 10

Result
The refractive index of water is µ1 = 1.06552

The refractive index of turpentine oil is µ2 = 1.22736

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 Precautions

(i) The screw of the spherometer should be moved in

one direction only to avoid backlash error.

(ii) The screw should be moved just to touch the surface of

the convex lens or the glass slab.

(iii) The parallax should be removed properly.

(iv) The lens and the plane mirror should be properly cleaned.

(v) The convex lens of large focal length should be used.

(vi) The spherometer reading should be taken first on the

surface of the convex lens and then on the glass slab.

Sources of error:

(i) The distances x1 and x2 may not be measured correctly.

(ii) The value of h and l may not be correct.

(iii) Parallax may not be removed properly.

(iv) Backlash error may be acting on the spherometer.

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 Bibliography
 Guidance from teacher
 Physics Lab
 Physics NCERT Textbook Class 12
 www.wikipedia.com