Finding The Refractive Index of Water and

Oil

BY:- Prapalin Mishra

Roll No:- 22
XII-C
Guided By- B.C Sahoo Sir
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that "Investigatory Project on the Refractive Indices of (i)Water, (ii)Oil (transparent)
using a plane mirror, an equiconvex lens (made from a glass of known refractive index) and an adjustable object
needle" has been submitted by PRAPALIN MISHRA, a student of XII-C who under my supervision has
accomplished the requirements of the AISSCE for the session 2023-24. This embodies that the work done
by him has been completed under the supervision for the fulfilment of the condition laid down by AISSCE
2023-24.

Signature Of Student Signature of External Signature of Teacher

 INTRODUCTION
In optics, the refractive index of a material is 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 a vacuum than it does in
water.
 REFRACTION OF LIGHT RAY:
AIM:
 To find refractive indexes of
i- Water
ii- oil using a plane mirror, an equiconvex lens and an adjustable object needle.

APPARATUS:
 Convex Lens
 Plane mirror
 Water
 Oil
 Clamp Stand
 An Optical Needle
 Plumb Line
 Knitting Needle
 Half Meter Scale
 Glass Slab
 Spherometer
DIAGRAMS:
 THEORY:
If f1 and f2 be the focal length of the glass convex lens and f be the focal length of
their combination then :-
1 1 1 Ff 2
= + ∨f 2=
F f1 f2 f 1−F

Liquid lens formed a Plano-concave lens with R1=R and R2=∞ then by using lens maker
formula: 1
[
=( n−1 )
1
−
]
1
[ 1 1
] [ ]
= ( n−1 ) − =( n−1 )
1−0
f2 R1 R2 R ∞ R
1 n−1
=
f2 R
R
n= +1
f2
Where n=Refractive index of the liquid
R= Radius of curvature of the convex lens
 The radius of the lower surface of the convex lens is given by:
2
l h
R= +
6h 2

Here “I” 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 convex
lens and then on the plane mirror.
 PROCEDURE:
a)-For focal length of convex lens:
 Find the rough focal length of the convex lens
 Place a plane mirror on the horizontal base of the iron stand and then a
convex lens on the plane mirror.
 Hold the needle in the clamp stand and adjust its position on the stand
such that here is no parallax between the tip of the needle and its
image.
 Measure the distance between tip and upper surface of the lens by
using a plumb line and half meter scale also measure the distance
between the tip of the needle and the upper surface of the mirror. Take
the mean of two readings. This means the distance will be equal to the
focal length of the convex lens (f₁).
b) For focal length of the combination:
 Put a few drops of water in 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.
 Repeat the above 2 steps to determine the equivalent focal length of the
combination.
 Record the observations.
 Repeat the steps for other transparent liquid(oil).
C)-For radius of curvature of convex lens:
 Determine the pitch and the least count of the spherometer.
 Remove the convex lens and dry it completely. Put the spherometer on the 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
and record the reading.
 Repeat the last 2 steps thrice.
 Obtain the impressions of the three legs of the three legs of the spherometer on a
paper and mark them and their average distance.
l1+l 2+l3
l=
3
 OBSERVATIONS:
Pitch of the spherometer= 1cm
Least count of the spherometer= 0.01cm
Distance between the legs:
1-AB=3cm
2-BC=3cm
SNO. Initial No. of Finding Additional h= n x Mean
reading of complete reading C.S div pitch + m “h” (cm)
the C.S on
the convex rotations of the moved x L.C
lens (a) (n) C.S on
the glass
slab
1 62 0 6.5 55.5 0.555 0.57
2 64 0 4 60 0.6 75
3-CA=3cm
 To Measure Focal Length ‘f’ Of Convex Lens:

Area between S.No Tip of the Upper surface of the mean Focal
lens and plane upper plane mirror (cm)
surface of length(cm)
mirror X2
the convex
Lens(cm)
x1
Without 1 30.5 31 30.75
liquid F1=33.85
2 36.7 37.2 36.95
With 1 31.4 31.8 31.6 F2=34.7
Liquid 2 38.1 38.1 37.8
With Water 1 9.4 9.6 9.5 F3=10
2 10.4 10.6 10.5
 CALCULATION:
Mean distance between two legs ‘I’-:
AB+ BC+C A
=3 cm
3

Mean of h=( )
0.555+0.6
=0.5775 cm
2

To find the radius of curvature of the convex lens:

2
l h
R= + =2.8861 cm
h 2

Measurement of refractive indices of water and oil-:

1. With water between the convex lens and the plane mirror:
μ R 2.8861
1=1+ =1+ =1.0831
f2 34.7

2. With oil between the convex lens and the plane mirror:
μ R 2.8861
2=1+ =1+ =1.2886
f3 10
 RESULTS:
The refractive index of water is μ =1.0831 1

The refractive index of oil is μ 2=1.2886

PRECAUTION:
 The plane mirror should be clean and fully shining surface
 The liquid taken should be transparent.
 The parallax should be removed tip to tip
 The eye should be at a distance of 30cm from needle while removing the parallax
 Only few drops of the liquid should be taken so that its layer should be thick
 The legs of the spherometer should be vertical
 The center leg of the spherometer should turn in one direction only.
 Sources Of Error:
 Liquid may not be quite transparent
 The parallax may not be fully removed
 The spherometer legs should be placed symmetrical on the surface of the
convex lens
 The tip of the central screw should not just touch the surface of lens of
mirror.