Mungo Harris

24/Jan/2016

Investigating Refraction
Method:
Line up a ray from the ray box at an angle of incidence of 10 degrees. After passing through the
glass block measure the angle of refraction. Repeat of an goes of incidence of 20 degrees, 30

degrees, 40 degrees, 50, degrees, 70 degrees and 80 degrees.

Diagram:
Results Table:

Sin i

Sin r

10

0.17

0.10

20

13

0.34

0.22

30

19

0.50

0.33

40

25

0.64

0.42

50

30

0.77

0.50

60

35

0.87

0.57

70

38

0.93

0.61

80

40

0.98

0.64

Graph:

Sin i

0.7

0.53

Sin r

0.35

Investigating Refracton

0.18

0
0

0.25

0.5

0.75

1.25

Calculations:
Slope:
= 1/1.7
N:
.17/.10 = 1.7
Conclusion:
If you compare the value for n and compare it with the real value you will realise that the real value
more specific. The value for n is 1.7 and the real value for n is 1.71.
Evaluation:
One way I could improve our experiment is by having different slides for the light to pass through.
this is because when we were doing the experiment I noticed that the beam of light passing

through was a bit thick and it was very hard to get a accurate measurement because the light
beam would cover 2 degrees not 1.