Diffraction of light due to ultrasonic wave propagation in liquids

Introduction:

Acoustic waves in liquids cause density changes with spacing determined by the
frequency and the speed of the sound wave. For ultrasonic waves with frequencies in the
MHz range, the spacing between the high and low density regions are similar to the spacing
used in diffraction gratings. Since these density changes in liquids will cause changes in
the index of refraction of the liquid, it can be shown that parallel light passed through the
excited liquid will be diffracted much as if it had passed through a grating. The experiment
can serve as an indirect method of measuring the velocity of sound in various liquids. The
phenomenon of interaction between light and sound waves in a liquid is called the Debye-
Sears effect.

Objective:

1. To study the diffraction of light due to propagation of ultrasonic wave in a liquid

2. To determine the speed of sound in various liquids at room temperature
3. To determine the compressibility of the given liquids.

Apparatus:
1. Radio frequency oscillator fitted with a frequency meter
2. Quartz crystal slab fitted with two leads
3. Spectrometer
4. Glass cell with sample liquid (Toluene/Turpentine oil etc)
5. Sodium lamp
6. Spirit level.

Theory and evaluation:

Diffraction phenomenon similar to those with ordinary ruled grating is observed

when ultrasonic waves traverse through a liquid. The ultrasonic waves passing through a
liquid are an elastic waves in which compressions and rarefactions travel one behind the

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other spaced regularly apart. The successive separations between two compressions or
rarefactions are equal to the wavelength of ultrasonic wave, λu in the liquid. Due to
reflections at the sides of the tank or the container, a stationary wave pattern is obtained
with nodes and antinodes at regular intervals. We thus have periodically changing index
of rarefaction which produces diffraction of light according to the grating rule.
If λu denotes the wavelength of sound in the liquid, λ the wavelength of incident
light in air and θn is angle of diffraction of nth order, then we have,

d sin θ n  nλ
In a transparent medium, variations in density correspond to variations in the index of
refraction and therefore a monochromatic parallel light beam traveling perpendicular to
the sound direction is refracted as if it had passed through a diffraction grating of spacing
d =λu. Thus

λ u sin θ n  nλ
If ν is the frequency of the crystal, the velocity ‘Vu’ of ultrasonic wave in the liquid
is given by,

Vu  ν λ u
Thus, by measuring the angle of diffraction θn, the order of diffraction n, the
wavelength of light, the wavelength of ultrasonic wave in the liquid can be determined and
then knowing the frequency of sound wave, its velocity ‘Vu’ can be obtained.

Compressibility of liquid, K

The speed of sound depends on both an inertial property of the medium (to store kinetic
energy) and an elastic property (to store potential energy):
elastic property
Vu 
inertial property

For a liquid medium, the bulk modulus E accounts for the extent to which an element from
the medium changes in volume when a pressure is applied:

𝛥𝑝
𝐸=−
𝛥𝑉
𝑉

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Here V/V is the fractional change in volume produced by change in pressure P. The sign
of V and P are always opposite. The unit of E is Pascal (Pa). Therefore, the speed of
sound in liquid can be expressed as

ν λn E
Vu  
sinθ ρ

 E = Vu 2 = 1/ K

Where, E = Bulk modulus of Elasticity

 = Density of liquid.
K= the compressibility of the liquid

Figure 1: The schematic of the ultrasonic diffraction experiment

Procedure:
1. Switch on the sodium vapor lamp (if it is not on) and wait for 15 minutes to get the
intense light.
2. Check for basic adjustment of the spectrometer. If needed level it taking help of the
support manual for the spectrometer.
3. Place the glass cell containing the experimental liquid (i.e. turpentine or others) on
the central part of the prism table.
4. Mount the transducer (quartz crystal in its holder) and dip it exactly parallel in the
liquid near a wall of the glass cell so that the ultrasonic waves produced by the
crystal travel in the liquid in a direction perpendicular to that of the incident light.
Connect the leads of the transducer with the output terminals of the RF Oscillator.
5. See through the telescope eyepiece so that a sharp well defined image of the slit is
seen in the field of view in the center of the micrometer scale fitted in the eyepiece.

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 6. Now switch on the RF Oscillator. Adjust the frequency of the Oscillator to generate
the ultrasonic wave (of the order of ~ 4MHz) so that it becomes equal to the natural
frequency of the crystal slab. At this stage resonance takes place and diffraction
images of the slit will be seen in the telescope. Note the frequency of the RF
Oscillator and maintain it constant throughout the experiment.
7. Using the vernier scale on the angle display window, measure the angles
corresponding to m = 0, m = 1 and m = 2.
8. Use the data to find out the grating element formed the ultrasonic wave.
9. Calculate Vu and compare with the reference values.
10. Repeat step 6-7 to have 2 more data sets.

Observations:
Least Count of Spectrometer = ________
Frequency of Vibrating crystal = ________
Density of liquid = ________

Table: (Make separate tables for different liquids)

Order Left of Right of 2θ = 2θ = Average λu Vu

Central line Central (a –b) (a′-b′) 2θ θ (m/s)
line
(m)
a a′ b b′
Set-I
2nd order
1st order
Set-II
2nd order
1st order
Set-III
2nd order
1st order

Order Vu (m/s) Mean

Vu
Set-I Set-II Set-III (m/s)
1st order
2nd order

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Reported value of the mean velocity of ultrasonic wave in turpentine is 1240m/s at room
temperature1.

Results and Discussion:

1. Report the mean velocity in each of the liquid.
2. Calculate the Bulk modulus of Elasticity and compressibility for each liquid
3. Do the error analysis.
4. Compare the results with data from the literature.

Precautions:

1. Rotate the knob on the RF oscillator extremely slowly to vary the frequency.
2. This experiment requires precision in taking readings, especially the minutes in the
spectrometer scale.
3. The crystal should be mounted parallel to the side walls, otherwise a good standing
wave pattern will not be obtained & hence diffraction grating will not be formed. As
a result the higher orders may not be of equal intensity on either side of maxima.

Reference:
1. http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/sound-speed-liquids-d_715.html

Note:
(I) Velocity of sound in liquids is temperature dependent.
(II) From this experiment we are determining the bulk modulus for adiabatic
compression because there is no energy exchanged with the region next to the sound
wave. This should be distinguished from the isothermal bulk modulus.

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