SCHOOL OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

AND COMPUTER SCIENCE

SECTION: BEE 14-A

SUBMITED TO: Mr. Zeeshan
SUBMITED BY: Group no. 06

NAME: REGISTRATION NO.

▪ Maheen Abdullah 410233

▪ Sikander Raza 372039
▪ Naeem Ullah 425427

▪ M. Abdullah 409180

▪ Momina Nadeem 407734

 EXPERIMENTS: RIPPLE TANK

RIPPLE TANK:
“A ripple tank is a shallow transparent tray of water with a light
shiningdown through it onto a white paper beneath it.”

There are many useful features of ripple tank out of which a main and useful one is to
measure and calculate frequency, wavelength and the speed of waves on the water's surface.

When we use a ripple tank apparatus to demonstrate the law of reflection, the
water waves converge at a point. This point is called focal point. The distance between the
obstacle and the focal point is called as focallength.

Radius of curvature of the obstacle is twice the focal length

RADIUS OF CURVATURE = 2 × Focal Length

Errors can occur which may cause ambiguities in the measurement of angles of incident
waves and the reflected or refracted waves. That’s why, calculating the error is a very
important part in any experiment. In addition to the random errors which may occur due to
lack of experience of a person and inappropriate handling of apparatus, the instruments
used in the lab may also contain systematic errors, so it is very important to properly check
every part ofapparatus for any systematic errors such as inappropriate calibration of
instruments, faulty equipment, or any flaw in apparatus design.

ABSTRACT:
The ripple tank apparatus is a shallow glass tank of water which is used toobserve
various basic properties of waves. A series of experiments are performed using ripple tank to
understand the behavior of water waves. The laws of reflection and refraction are verified in
all experiments. A few of these experiments were performed in the lab by which the focal point
and convergence length was investigated and properties as well as laws of reflectionand
refraction were observed.

APPARATUS:

• Tank
• Ripple Generator
• Light source
• Ripple Tank Assembly
• Dipper
• Trapezoidal refractor
• Plane Dipper
 • Curved Reflector
• Sheet of paper
• Geometry

EXPERIMENT NO # 1
Reflection of waves from a straight barrier

THEORY:
When a wave hits a boundary between two media with different wave speeds, the waves
remain in the original media rather than passing through the other media. These waves will
appear on the screen below the tray in bright and darkpatches. These patches depict the
location of the wave crests and troughs. The dark patches will represent the crests, while the
bright patches will represent the troughs.

“Angle of incidence equals angle of reflection”, which is the law of reflection.

PRINCIPLE:
The incident wave is the wave travelling towards the boundary of the obstacle while the
reflected wave is the one that moves away from the boundary, but in the same medium as the
incident wave.

The angle of incidence is the angle between a ray incident on a surface and the line
perpendicular to the surface at the point of incidence, which is called the normal. The
angle of reflection is the angle between a reflected ray and the normal drawn at the point of
incidence to a reflecting surface.

PROCEDURE:
• Set up a ripple tank with a light source.
• Place a paper below the transparent surface so that transmitted image ofwaves can
 be observed and patterns could be drawn accurately.
• Set the frequency of ripple tank to 20 Hz.
• Observe the image of flickering light being created onto the paper.
• Now on the paper underneath, draw plane wave fronts with a ruler torepresent
the incident wave.
• After this, draw a normal perpendicular to the surface of the barrier.
• Measure and note the angles.

DATA:
Angles of incidence
Ɵ1 = 45°
Ɵ2 = 46°
Ɵ3 = 47°

Angles of reflection
Ɵ1 = 45°
Ɵ2 = 44°
Ɵ3 = 43°

DATA ANALYSIS:
Angles of incident and reflection were measured carefully with the help of
tracesof wave fronts which were tracked down on the paper placed bellow ripple tank.

Mean value was taken for both the angles using the standard average formula. For the sake of
precision, percentage error is taken which was found to be 2.03%which assures the accuracy of
data we collected.

CALCULATIONS:

Calculating the mean angle

Mean angle of incidence = Ɵi = 46°
Mean angle of reflection = Ɵr = 44°

θi+θr 46° +44°

Mean Angle = =
2 2

Mean Angle = 45°

Calculating the error

 (Original Value−Calculated Value)
Percentage Error = × 100 %
original value

46°−44°
Percentage Error = × 100 % = 4.34%
46°

RESULT:

Ɵi = Ɵr = (45 ± 4.36)°

EXPERIMENT NO # 2
Reflection of waves from a curved barrier

PROCEDURE:
• Place an opaque curved barrier in the ripple tank apparatus and producewater
wavefronts by using a vibrator.
• The waves will reflect back from the curved surface and converge at apoint.
• Trace the behavior of the waves on a piece of paper.
• Use a drawing compass to complete the curved surface.
• Measure the distance between the point of convergence and theobstacle
(focal length).
• Calculate the radius of curvature.
• Draw two normal to tangents at any two points of the curved surface. They will
meet at a point which will be the centre of the curved surface.
• Measure the radius of curvature by using a meter rod.

DATA:
Focal length = f = 5.7 cm

Measured Radius R = 11.7 cm

DATA ANALYSIS:
 Using the paper placed below the tank, the focal length and radius wascalculated.
Later the radius of curvature was calculated to be equal to the radius measured.
Since we used proper mathematical tools like a compass to draw the curve, we did
not face any error in the measured value. Our measured radius isexactly equal to our
calculated radius.

CALCULATIONS:
Radius of curvature =R = 2 × f

R = 2 × 5.7 = 11.4 cm

Percentage Error:

𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒−𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒

Percentage Error = 𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒
× 100 %

11.7 − 11.4
% Error = 11.7
× 100 = 2.66 %

RESULT:
Radius of Curvature = (13±0) cm

EXPERIMENT NO # 3 (Part:1)
Refraction of waves from a Trapezoidal refractor (facing plane side)

THEORY:
When the water waves interact with the surface, a part changes their directionand the
other part bends. The glass refractor has a denser medium so it will refract the rays toward
the normal.
Wave refraction is the change in direction of waves as they pass from one medium to
another. Refraction, or the bending of the path of the waves, isaccompanied by a change in
the waves' speed and wavelength.
Snell's law states that the angle of refraction, θr, is proportional to the angle of
incidence, θi and the ratio of the refractive indices of the two media that comprise the
interface. There is no refraction and the angle θr is equal toθi if the media have identical
refractive indices.
Snell’s Law: n1 sinθ1 = n2 sinθ2
PROCEDURE:

• Set up a ripple tank with a light source.

• Place a paper below the transparent surface so that transmitted image of
waves can be observed, and patterns could be drawn accurately.
• Set the frequency of ripple tank to 20 Hz.
• Observe the image of flickering light being created onto the paper.
• Place a glass refractor (plane faced) on the ripple tank.
• Make sure the refractor is immersed in the water.
• Now on the paper underneath, draw plane wave fronts with a ruler to
represent the refracted waves.
• After this, draw a normal perpendicular to the surface of the barrier.
• Measure and note the angles.
• Find the wavelength of the incident and refracted wave.
• Find the ratio of their sines.
• Calculate the refractive index.

DATA:

Angle of incidence = θ1 = 90°Angle of

refraction = θ2 = 55°
Wavelength of incident wave = λ1 = 1.9cm Wavelength of
refracted wave = λ2 =1.8 cm

DATA ANALYSIS:
Using the paper placed below the tank, angles of incidence and angle of refraction
were measured. The wavelength of the incident and the refracted wave was also measured.
The refractive index was measured twice, once usingboth the angles, and then using the
wavelengths.
Both the values of refractive index were found very close to each other withinthe range of
3.19% error.

CALCULATIONS:
Calculating the refractive index using angles :
sinθ1 sin(90° )
n= =
sinθ2 sin(78° )

𝑛 = 1.023
Calculating the refractive index using wavelengths:
𝜆1 1.9
n= =
𝜆2 1.8

n = 1.055

Percentage Error:
𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒−𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒
Percentage Error = 𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒
× 100 %
1.055−1.022
% Error = × 100 %
1.022

% Error = 3.19 %
RESULT:

Refractive index = (1.04 ± 0.01)

EXPERIMENT NO # 3 (Part:2)
Refraction of waves from Refractor (facing angular side)

PROCEDURE:

• Set up a ripple tank with a light source.

• Place a paper below the transparent surface so that transmitted image ofwaves can
be observed, and patterns could be drawn accurately.
• Set the frequency of ripple tank to 20 Hz.
• Observe the image of flickering light being created onto the paper.
• Place a glass refractor (angular faced) on the ripple tank.
• Make sure the refractor is immersed in the water.
• Now on the paper underneath, draw plane wave fronts with a ruler torepresent
the refracted waves.
• After this, draw a normal perpendicular to the surface of the barrier.
• Measure and note the angles.
• Find the wavelength of the incident and refracted wave.
• Find the ratio of their sines.
• Calculate the refractive index.
DATA:

Angle of incidence = θ1 = 60°

Angle of refraction = θ2 = 50°
Wavelength of incident wave = λ1 = 2.3 cm
Wavelength of refracted wave = λ2 =2.0 cm

DATA ANALYSIS:
Using the paper placed below the tank, angles of incidence and angle of refraction
were measured. The wavelength of the incident and the refracted wave was also measured.
The refractive index was measured twice, once usingboth the angles, and then using the
wavelengths.
Both the values of refractive index were found very close to each other withinthe range of
1.7 % error.

CALCULATIONS:
Calculating the refractive index using angles:
sinθ1 sin 60°
n= =
sinθ2 sin 50°

n = 1.13
Calculating the refractive index using wavelengths:
𝜆1 2.3
n= =
𝜆2 2.0

n = 1.15
Percentage Error:
𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒−𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒
Percentage Error = × 100 %
𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒
1.13−1.15
% Error = 1.13
× 100 %

% Error = 1.7 %
RESULT:

Refractive index = (1.14 ± 0.01)

QUESTIONS:

Q. 1: What is the relationship of the angle of incidence and the angle ofreflection?
(Experiment 1 Q. 1.)
Answer: “Angle of incidence is equal to angle of reflection”, as is the law of reflection.

Q. 2: What is the shape of the wave fronts that reflect from the curved barrier whenyou
dropped the droplet of water into the ripple tank? (Experiment 2 Q. 1.)
Answer: When droplet of water is dropped into the ripple tank, circularwavefronts are
formed.

Q. 3: How is the radius of the circle related to the distance between the curvedbarrier and
the point where the reflected plane waves from the plane wave dipper appeared to
converge? (Experiment 2 Q. 2.)
Answer: Radius of curvature is equal to twice the focal length.

Q. 4: What happens to the direction of the wave fronts as they move over thetrapezoidal
refractor? (Experiment 3,4 Q. 1.)
Answer: As the water level above the trapezoidal is less than the rest of the tank so, they
move away from the normal as they travel from denser to rarer medium.

Q. 5: As the plane wave from the deep water moves through the shallowerwater over
the refractor, does the plane wave speed up or slow down? (Experiment 3,4 Q. 2.)
Answer: As they move from denser to rarer medium, the wavelength increases soaccording
to the formula v=f𝜆 the velocity of waves would also increase.
DISCUSSITION:
Several experiments that were performed using the ripple tank gave alot of information about
behavior of waves which includes angle of incidence, angle of refraction, focal point and
refractive index. It was observed that the waves were slowing down and their wavelength was
reducing. As they get closer, we observed that the incident ray's path has somewhat changed. It
tilts towards the normal when it moves from a less dense to a denser medium. Using the angle of
incidence and angle of refraction, we calculated the refractive index () of the trapezoid. As the
plane waves go from shallow to deep water, the behavior mentioned above will take place.
Additionally, it was observed that waves experience refraction in a manner similar to how light
does. Every media has a unique refractiveindex, and Snell's law can be used to determine the
critical angle at which the angle of refraction becomes 90 degrees.

CONCLUTION:
In these experiments we observed the behavior of light through the water. We proved that the
angle of reflection is equal to the angle of reflection. It was alsoconfirmed that the focal point
was halfway from around the arc’s radius. When a glass obstacle was immersed in the water in
the tank, it was seen that a part ofthe incident wave reflected, and the other part followed a
bent path. The bent path was followed towards the normal. Using this data, we calculated the
refractive index. In addition to the enhancements of skills to do these types of practical
experiments, the knowledge about properties and behavior of waves also got better.