PHYSICS

PROJECT

Submitted
By :-

Sudhir Rabari

Class :- XII

3
 INDEX
CONTENT PAGE NO.
Acknowledgement 01
Certificate 02
Topic 05
Introduction 06
Objective/Aim 07
Material Required 07
Theory 08 – 09
Procedure 10 – 11
Diagram 12
Observation 13 – 14
Calculation 15
Result and Precaution 16
Sources of Error 17
Bibliography 18

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 TOPIC

To find the refractive index of (a) water

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

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 INTRODUCTION

In optics, the refractive index (a.k.a. refraction index) of an optical

medium is a 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, n1Sinθ1 = n2Sinnθ2,
Where,
θ1 = Angles of incidence
θ2 = Angle of 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

Convex lens
Plane mirror
Water
Oil
Clamp stand
An Optical needle
Plumb line
Knitting needle
Half meter Scale
Glass slab
Spherometer

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 THEORY

If f1 and f2 be the focal length of glass convex lens and liquid lens
and f be the focal length of their combination then,

1 1 1 ff1
= + ∨f 2=
f f1 f 2 f 1 −f

Liquid lens formed is a planoconcave lens with

R1 = R (radius of curvature of convex lens surface)
R2=∞

1
f2
=( n−1 )
1
−
1
R1 R2 [ ]
¿ ( n−1 )
[ 1 1
−
R1 ∞ ]
¿ ( n−1 )
[ ] 1
R
−0

1 n−1
=
f2 R

R
n= +1
f2

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:

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 2
l h
R= +
6h 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
Plane mirror

Fig: Focal length of glass convex les and liquid lens combination

PROCEDURE
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(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 (fi).

(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.
7. Record the observation.
8. Repeat the steps 5, 6, 7 for other transparent liquid (oil).

(c)For radius of curvature of convex lens surface:

9. Determine the pitch and the least count of the

spherometer.
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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 1+ l2 +l 3
l=
3

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 DIAGRAM

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

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

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 OBSERVATION

 Pitch of the spherometer =1cm

 Least count of the spherometer = 0.01 cm
 Distance between the Legs:
(1) AB =3cm
(2) BC =3 cm
(3) CA = 3cm

Table for Calculation of ‘h’

Initial Final h
readin No. of readi Additio = n Mea
Sr g of compl ng of nal × n
. the ete the C.S. pit “h”
N C.S. rotati C.S. div. ch (cm)
o. on the ons on moved +
conve (n) glass m
x lens slab ×L.
(a) C.

1 62 0 6.5 55.5 0.5

55
0.57

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 75
2 64 0 4 60 0.6

To Measure focal length ‘f’ of Convex Lens

Distance of Needle
tip from

Area Tip of Upper

betwe Sr. the surfac Mean Foca
en No. upper e of l
lens surfac the X=
X 1−X 2
leng
2
and e of plane th
plane the mirror (cm)
mirror conve X2
x lens
X1

f1 =
1 30.5 31 30.72
Without
liquid 33.8
2 36.7 37.2 36.95 5

f2 =
1 31.4 31.8 31.6
With
water
34.7
2 37.5 38.1 37.8

1 9.4 9.6 9.5

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With f3 =
oil 2 10.4 10.6 10.5 10

CALCULATION

 Mean Distance Between two legs

AB+ BC + CA
l= =3 cm
3

0.555+0.6
 Mean of h=
3
=0.55775 cm

 To find the radius of curvature of the convex lens

2
l h
R= + =2.8861 cm
6h 2

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+ =1.0831
f2 34.7

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

R 2.8861
μ2=1+ =1+ =1.2886
f3 10

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 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
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.

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 Sources of Error

1.Liquid may not be quite transparent.

2.The parallax may not be fully removed.

3.The spherometer legs 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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 BIBLIOGRAPHY

1.NCERT Textbook

2.NCERT Physics Lab Manual

3.www.google.com

4.www.wikipedia.com

5.www.youtube.com

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