REFRACTIVE

INDEX OF
DIFFERENT
LIQUIDS
USING
HOLLOW
PRISM
 Submitted by,

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The successful completion of any task would be incomplete
without mentioning the names of those persons who helped to
make it possible. I take this opportunity to express my gratitude
in few words and respect to all those who helped me in the
completion of this project.
It is my humble pleasure to acknowledge my deep senses of
gratitude to my Physics teacher, Teacher name for her valuable
support, constant help and guidance at each and every stage,
without which this project would not have come forth.
I also register my sense of gratitude to our principal,
Mr.principal, for his immense encouragement that has made
this project successful.
I would also like to thank my friends and family for encouraging
me during the course of this project.
Last, but not the least, I would like to thank CBSE for giving us
the opportunity to undertake this

Project Overview

Aim
Apparatus Required
Theory
Procedure
Observations
Conclusions
Precautions
Bibliography
Aim
To find out the refractive indices of different liquids using a
hollow prism

Apparatus Required
• Hollow glass prism
• Various liquids like water, carbon disulphide,
benzaldehyde etc.
• Bell pins
• Drawing board

Theory
A prism is a transparent optical element with flat, polished
surfaces that refract light. Prisms can be
made from any material that is transparent including glass,
plastic and fluorite. A prism can be used to break light up into its
constituent spectral colors. Prisms can also be used to reflect
light, or to split light into components with different
polarizations.

The refractive index of the liquid

Is given by the formula:
U=sini/sinr=sin((a+d)/2)/sin(a/2)
Where,
U=refractive index of the liquid.
a= the angle of minimum deviation
d=angle of prism
i=angle of incidence
r=angle of refraction

Procedure

• Fix a white sheet of paper on the drawing board

with help of drawing pins.

• Keep the prism and mark the outline of it

as ABC.

• Drop a normal PQ on the side AB.

• Draw the angle of incidence in accordance with

the normal PQ and place 2 pins so that they appear to be in
the straight line.
 • Place the prism filled with given sample of liquid
,on the marked outline ABC.

• Now take the pins and place them on the side AC

so that all the 4 pins appear to be in same line.

• Remove the prism and draw the line joining the

points so obtained.

• Mark the diagram as shown in the figure.

• Repeat this with different liquids and different

angle of incidence.

Observation
• Benzaldehyde
S.no
a º(angle of prism)
i º (angle of incidence)
d º (angle of deviation)
1
60
30
45
2
60
35
42
3
60
37.5
40
4
60
39
42
5
60
40
45

U=sin((60+40)/2)/sin(30)
= 1.504

• Water
S.no
a º(angle of prism)
i º (angle of incidence)
d º (angle of deviation)
1
60
30
25
2
60
35
22
3
60
40
20
4
60
45
22
5
60
50
25
6
60
55
28

U=sin((60+22)/2)/sin(30)
= 1.306

• Dil. Sulphuric Acid

S.no
a º(angle of prism)
i º (angle of incidence)
d º (angle of deviation)
1
60
20
33
2
60
30
30
3
60
35
25
4
60
40
29
5
60
45
30

U=sin((60+25)/2)/sin(30)
= 1.351
Conclusion

Refractive indices at room temperature:

• Benzaldehyde
• Actual: 1.546
• Experimental: 1.504
•
• Water
• Actual: 1.33
• Experimental: 1.306
•
• Dil . Sulphuric acid
• Actual: 1.355
 • Experimental: 1.351

Precautions

• Angle of incidence should lie b/w 35-60 degree.

• Pins should be vertically fixed and should lie in

same line.

• Distance b/w two points should not be less

than 10mm.

• Same angle of prism should be used for all

observation.
 • Arrow head should be marked to represent
emergent and incident ray.