1

PHYSICS PROJECT

TOPIC : To Find The Refractive Index of Water & Oil

Using A Plane Mirror and A Equiconvex Lens and
AnAdjustable Object Needle

NAME : ROHAN MANDAL

CLASS : XII-D
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SUNBEAM SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE

BONAFIDE CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Rohan Mandal studying in grade XII-D at

Sunbeam School Of Excellence for the academic year 2024- 2025
has successfully completed his To Find The Refractive Index of
Water, Oil Using A Plane Mirror and A Equiconvex Lens and An
Adjustable Object Needle. Physics project and submitted the report
for AISSCE board practical examination held on …………………

TEACHER PRINCIPAL

INTERNAL TEACHER EXTERNAL TEACHER

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to thank my Physics teacher.

Mr.D.Ramanjaneyulu M.Sc,B.Ed.

for his valuable guidance and kind approach in creating more

interested in the subject.

I would like to thank the management for giving us the opportunity

to undertake this project and for providing us the resources to make
this project a successful one.

I would also like to thank my classmates for their kind cooperation

and help in successfully completing the project.
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INDEX
INTRODUCTION
1
OBJECTIVE
2
MATERIALS REQUIRED
3
THEORY
4
PROCEDURE
5
OBSERVATION
6
CALCULATION
7
RESULTS
8
PRECAUTIONS
9
SOURCES OF ERROR
10
CONCLUSION
11
BIBLIOGRAPHY
12
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INTRODUCTION:

In optics, the refractive index (a.k.a. refraction index) of an optical medium isa
dimensionless number that indicates the light-bending ability of that medium.

The refractive index determines how much the path of light is bent, or
refracted when entering a material. This is described by Snell's law of refraction,
n1 sin θ1 = n2 sin θ2, where θ1 and θ2 are the angles of incidence and refraction,
respectively, of a ray crossing the interface between two media with
refractive indices n1 and n2.
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OBJECTIVE:
To find the refractive index of water, oil using a plane mirror and an
equiconvex lens and an adjustable object needle.

MATERIALS REQUIRED:
1. Convex lens

2. Plane mirror

3. Water

4. Oil

5. Clamp stand

6. An optical needle

7. Plumb line

8. Knitting needle

9. Half meter scale

10. Glass slab

11. Spherometer
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THEORY:
If f1 and f2 be the focal lengths of glass convex lens and liquid lens, and F be
the focal length of their combination, then:

1/f = 1/f1 + 1/f2 or f2 = f2/f1-f

Liquid lens formed is a planoconcave lens with R1 = R (radius of curvature

of convex lens surface), R2 = ∞

1/f2 =(n-1) [1/R1 - 1/R2 ]

1/f2 = (n-1) [1/R - 0]

1/f2 = n-

1/Rn =

R/f2 + 1

Where n = Refractive index of the liquid

R = The radius of the curvature of the convex lens.
The radius of the lower surface of the convex lens is given by:

R = l²/6h + 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 the plane mirror.

Fig: Focal length of glass convex lens and liquid lens combination
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PROCEDURE :
FOR FOCAL LENGTH OF CONVEX LENS:
1. Take any one convex lens and find its rough focal length.

2. Take a plane mirror and place it on the horizontal base of the iron
stand.

3. Place the convex lens on the plane mirror.

Screw tight the optical needle in the clamp of the stand and hold it horizontally
above the lens at a distance equal to its rough focal length.

Bring the tip of the needle at the vertical principal axis of the lens, so that tipof
the needle appears touching the tip of its image.

Move the needle up and down and remove parallax between tips of theneedle
and its image.

Measure distance between tip and upper surface of the lens by using aplumb
line and half-metre scale.

Also measure distance between tip and the surface of its plane mirror.

FOR FOCAL LENGTH OF THE COMBINATION

Take a few drops of transparent liquid on the plane mirror and put the convex
lens over it with its same face above as before (A plano concave liquid lens
is formed between plane mirror and convex lens).

Repeat steps 6, 7, and 8.

Record your observations as given below.

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FOR RADIUS OF CURVATURE OF CONVEX LENS SURFACE

Determine the pitch and the least count of the spherometer.

Remove the convex lens and dry incompletely. Put the spherometer on this
lens surface.

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.

Remove the spherometer from the surface of the lens and place on the plane
mirror surface and record the reading.

Repeat the steps 10 and 11 three times.

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: AB = 3 cm

BC =3cm

CA = 3 cm

Table for calculation of 'h’

To measure focal length 'f' of convex lens

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CALCULATION :

MEAN DISTANCE BETWEEN TWO LEGS:

l = AB + BC + CA / 3 = 3 cm

MEAN OF h:
h = (0.555 + 0.6) / 2 = 0.5775 cm

To find the radius of the curvature of the convex lens:

R = l2 / 6h + h / 2 = 2.8861 cm

MEASUREMENT OF REFRACTIVE INDEX OF WATER AND OIL

1. With water between the convex lens and the plane mirror.

2. With oil between the convex lens and plane mirror.

RESULTS :

The refractive index of water is μ1 = 1.0831

The refractive index of oil is μ2 = 1.2886

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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 30cm from the needle while
removing the parallax. Only a few drops of liquid should be taken so
that it's layer should be thick.

5. The legs of the spherometer should be vertical.

6. The centre leg of the spherometer should turn in one direction only.

SOURCE OF ERROR :

1. Liquid may not be quite transparent.

2. The parallax may not be fully removed.

3. The spherometer lens should be placed symmetrical on the surface of

the convex lens.

4. The tip of the central screw should not just touch the surface of lens or
mirror.
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CONCLUSION :
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