NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCES &

TECHNOLOGY

LAB REPORT-3

Serial # Name
1. M AAZAN SHEIKH

2. HAMZA ALI
3. RAFIQUE AHMED

4. ATIF.

5. WAJAHAT KHAN
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EXPERIMENT #1
REFLECTION

Reflection is the change in direction of a wavefront at an interface between two

different media so that the wavefront returns into the medium from which it
originated. Common examples include the reflection of light, sound and water
waves.
Required equipment
• Ripple tank
• Long Barrier
• Curved barrier
• Ripple generator and light
source
• Plane wave dipper
• Ruler
• Paper (about 40 cm by 40 cm)
• Large rod stand
• 90-cm Rod
PURPOSE
The purpose of this activity is to study the reflection of a plane wave from different
shaped barriers: a long straight barrier and a curved barrier.

THEORY

Wave fronts are perpendicular to the ray. When a wave reflects from a surface, the
angle of incidence is the angle between the incoming (or incident) ray and the
normal (a line Perpendicular to the surface). The angle of reflection is the angle
between the outgoing (reflected) ray and the normal.
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Reflection Using a Straight Barrier

PROCEDURE:
1. Arrange the long barrier in the middle of the tank so
the barrier is at an angle to the plane wave dipper
2. Turn on the ripple generator and the light source.
Set the light source to ‘STROBE’. Set the ripple
generator frequency to 20 Hz. Set the amplitude to slightly less than half of maximum.
3. On the paper below the tank, place the ruler parallel to the plane waves that
are incoming to the barrier. Make a line to show the incoming wave front.
4. Place the ruler parallel with a reflected wave and again make a line to show the
outgoing (reflected) wave front.

5. Trace the position of the straight barrier. 6. Turn off the ripple generator and
light source.

DATA ANLYSIS
1. There is a diamond shaped pattern that should immerge in the picture. Use
your pencil to place a dot in the center of each diamond.
2. Use a straight edge to connect the dots and draw the wave fronts for the
reflected waves as well as the incident waves.
3. Measure the angle of incidence for at least three wave fronts to get an
average. This angle is the same angle that the wave front makes with the
reflecting surface. Record your measurements in the data table.
4. Measure the angle of reflection of waves’ fronts and record your measurement.
the recorded measurements are,

Angle of
incidence= 53˚ Angle of
Reflection= 55˚

Percentage Error= 100

Percentage Error= 100

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5 Percentage Error= 3.63%

REFLECTION USING CURVED BARRIER

PROCEDURE:
1. Arrange the curved barrier in the middle of the
tank so the barrier’s curved surface is facing the
wave fronts.
2. Turn on the ripple generator and the light source.
Set the light source to ‘STROBE’. Set the ripple
generator frequency to 20 Hz. Set the amplitude
to slightly less than half of maximum.
3. Turn on the light and trace the location of barrier
on the paper below the ripple tank.
4. Turn on the ripple generator
5. Mark the position where the reflected waves seemed to be converged.
6. Turn off the ripple generator.

DATA ANALYSIS:
Use a compass to locate the curve marked on the paper and on observing the
center complete the circle and measure the radius. The measured value of radius
is,
Radius of circle= 11.2cm
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What is the relationship of the angle of incidence and the angle of reflection?
Answer : Angle of incidence = Angle of reflection.
According to the laws of reflection, angle of incidence is equal to angle of reflection.

What is the shape of the wave fronts that reflect from the curved barrier when you dropped the
droplet of water into the ripple tank?

Answer: Circular waves can be produced by dropping a single drop of water into the ripple tank.
How is the radius of the circle related to the distance between the curved barrier and the
point where the reflected plane waves from the plane wave dipper appeared to converge?
Answer: When a set of plane (straight) waves reflect off a semi-circular barrier, they are focused to
a point

CONCLUSION
The angle of Reflection and incidence of wavefronts was measured carefully. The
percentage error is very small indicating that the measurements taken were precise.
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This small percentage error is due to Human error which includes accidental touch,
parallax errors, etc.
Henceforth, angle of reflection and incidence the wavefronts with percentage error have
been calculated.

(b)
REFRACTION
Refraction of waves involves a change in the direction of waves as they pass from one
medium to another.
REQURED EQIPMENT
• 1.ripple tank
• Trapezoidal Refractor
• 4.ripple generator and light
source
• 5.plane wave dipper
• 6.ruler
• Paper (about 40 cm by 40
cm)
• 8.large rod stand
• 90-cm Rod PURPOSE
The purpose of this
experiment is to show the
phenomenon of changing the path of
the waves when they enter another
medium. THEORY
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Refraction, or the bending of the path of the

waves, is accompanied by a
change in speed and wavelength of the waves. the
speed of a wave is dependent upon the properties of
the medium through which the waves travel. So, if the
medium (and its properties) is changed, the speed of
the waves is changed. The most significant property
of water that would affect the speed of waves
traveling on its surface is the depth of the water.
Water waves travel fastest when the medium is the
deepest. Thus, if water waves are passing from deep
water into shallow water, they will slow down.

SETUP
1. Place light source at the end of the rod
connected above ripple tank.
2. Pour little amount of water in tank and
balance its legs to make sure the level
of water.
3. Place the trapezoidal refractor in the
middle of the tank and add enough
more water to make sure that the
trapezoidal has been dipped completely
in the water.
4. Put the ripple generator at one side of
the tank and connect it with power source.
5. Connect the plane wave dipper with ripple generator and adjust ripple generator
in such a way that the wave dipper touches the water level.
6. Now place sheet of paper under the tank so that we can be able to sketch
the image produced by the waves.
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PROCEDURE
1. Place the refractor in front of ripple generator in such a way that the rectangular
side of it is parallel to plane wave dipper.
2. Add water enough to cover the trapezoidal.
3. Turn the ripple generator on and set the light source on ‘STROBE’ and set
frequency of generator less than 15 so that to obtain the clear wave pattern.
set the amplitude half of the maximum
4. Sketch the image produced by the tank and trapezoidal on the paper below
the tank.
5. Sketch the lines which shows the incident waves on the paper with the help of
a ruler.
6. Now at the end of the refractor where the incident waves fall, trace the refracted
lines and bending of them as they travel over the refractor.
7. After sketching the lines, repeat the procedure.
8. Turn off the ripple generator. DATA ANALYSIS
1. Draw a line which indicates the incident wavefront and is perpendicular to
the outline of the refractor and put an
arrow on it which shows its
direction.
2. At the point of intersection present
on the outline of the refractor draw
a new line that is perpendicular to
the wave fronts of the refracted
waves as they pass over the
trapezoidal refractor.
3. Now measure your angle of
incidence and angle of refraction
and find the refractive index. The recorded value of angle of incidence and
refraction are given below,
Angle of incidence= 90˚
Angle of Refraction= 15˚ Refractive index (Ƞ):

Refractive index= Ƞ =
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Refractive index= Ƞ= Refractive

index= Ƞ=

Refractive index= Ƞ= 3.86

Question
What happens to the direction of the wave fronts as they move over the trapezoidal
refractor?
Answer: The purpose of this activity is to show how waves change direction as they pass
from one region to another where the wave speed is different. Theory. As a wave ...
What happens to the direction of the rays for the wave fronts of the plane waves as they
move over the concave
refractor?
Answer: Reflection involves a change in direction of waves when they bounce off a
barrier. Refraction of waves involves a change in the direction of waves as they
pass ...

Do the refracted waves from the concave refractor appear to converge or diverge?
Answer: Yes, because of the different shape of the double concave lens, these incident rays are
not converged to a point upon refraction through the lens. Rather, these incident rays diverge
upon refracting through the lens.

CONCLUSION

The angle of Refraction and incidence of wavefronts was measured carefully. The
refractive index of trapezium is measured using formula. Refractive index of a
material is a dimensionless number that describes how fast light travels through the
material.
Henceforth, angle of refraction, incidence the wavefronts and refractive index of trapezium
have been calculated.
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