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A 2 Year 1 Semester Project Report, 2012

KATHMANDU UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF SCIENCE
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL SCIENCE (PHYSICS)

Study of concentration dependence of

Refractive index of Sugar and Salt
Solution

A 2nd Year 1st Semester Project Report

Submitted By:
Akur Khadka
Uttam Bhandari

February 2012

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A 2 Year 1 Semester Project Report, 2012

Abstract
Refraction is a major phenomenon in the day to day life. Different gas, liquids and solids have
different refractive index. This project is focused to measure the refractive index of sugar
solution which can be used in various works in laboratory and industries.

The project consists of LASER as its source of monochromatic light which is passed thorough
sugar solutions having different concentration to measure its refractive index. Using a
horizontal beam of light, the deviation of the refracted beam striking a horizontal scale placed
at a known distance from the prism can be known.

The advantage of using laser light, in addition to its monochromaticity (single wavelength), is
that it is so intense that it can easily penetrate strongly colored liquids.

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Acknowledgement
While working in this project we received help from many people. Without the support and
cooperation from these people our project would not have succeeded in this way.

We would like to express our gratitude Department of Physics for their support and continuous
guidance

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1 Table of Contents
1. Introduction.................................................................................................................... 5
1.1. Background ............................................................................................................. 5
1.1.1 Objectives ................................................................................................................................................5

 To study concentration dependence of refractive index of sugar solution and salt

solution ............................................................................................................................. 5
1.2 Literature review ..................................................................................................... 5
1.3 Methods .................................................................................................................. 6
1.3.1 Apparatus.................................................................................................................................................6
1.3.2 Working ...................................................................................................................................................8
1.3.3 Calculation ...............................................................................................................................................8

2 Results and discussion .................................................................................................... 9

1.2. Result of sugar solution............................................................................................ 9
1.3. Result of salt solution ............................................................................................ 11
1.4. Reasoning for decrease in refractive index ............................................................. 12
1.5. Application of the result ........................................................................................ 12
1.6. Financial report ..................................................................................................... 13
1.7. Work schedule ....................................................................................................... 13
1.8. Complications ........................................................................................................ 13
2. Conclusion & Recommendation ..................................................................................... 14
4 Reference ..................................................................................................................... 15

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1. Introduction

1.1. Background
Refractive index is one of the most important optical properties of a medium. It plays vital role
in many areas of material science with special reference to thin film technology and fiber
optics. Similarly, measurement of refractive index is widely used in analytical chemistry to
determine the concentration of solutions. Recent studies [Schwartz 1999, Olesberg 2000,
Shlichta 1986] provide more detailed discussion on the concentration mapping by the
measurement of refractive index of liquids

The absolute refractive index of a medium is the ratio of the speed of electromagnetic radiation in
free space to the speed of the radiation in that medium. The relative refractive index is the ratio of
the speed of light in one medium to that in the adjacent medium. Refraction occurs with all types of
waves but is most familiar with light waves. The refractive index of a medium differs with
frequency. This effect, known as dispersion, lets a prism divide white light into its constituent
spectral colors. For a given color, the refractive index of a medium depends on the density of the
medium and density of a solution varies with the concentration of solute. Thus refractive index of a
solution depends on its concentration.

By calculating the minimum deviation of light through a prism we can calculate the refractive index
of the material inside the prism by using,

1.1.1 Objectives

 To study concentration dependence of refractive index of sugar solution and salt

solution

1.2 Literature review

The method we used in the experiment to measure the refractive index of sugar solution and
salt solution consists of intense monochromatic source of light, LASER. For a given color, the
refractive index of a medium depends on the density of the medium. In any type of solution, the
density of the solution increase with increase in concentration of solute.

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1.3 Methods

1.3.1 Apparatus
Following apparatus were used in the experiment

 Source
We use LASER as source of light in our experiment because it is intense and
monochromatic.
 Circular base
This base can be rotated about a fixed vertical axis.
 Hollow prism
This hollow prism of circular base is easy to fix on the rotatable base.
 Scale

1.3.1.1 Apparatus setup

At first the circular base is placed such that, its center coincide with a fixed vertical axis about
which it is rotatable. Than the source is placed at left side of the base such that, LASER from the
source passes through the vertical axis and falls perpendicularly on the horizontally placed scale
at fixed distance from the base of the axis on right side.

Apparatus setup figure are shown below.

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Figure: 1.1 Light falling directly on the scale

Figure:1.2 light suffering refraction through prism before falling on scale

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1.3.2 Working
At first we prepared highly concentrated solution, sugar solution with 60% concentration and
salt solution with 24% concentration (concentration by weight). We measured refractive index,
lowered concentration, by 3 in sugar solution and by 2 in salt solution, again measured
refractive index. We continuously repeated the process, lowering concentration then
measuring refractive index till we obtained refractive index of sugar solution at 3%
concentration and salt solution at 2%.

The methods of calculation are mentioned below,

1.3.3 Calculation
Direct position of light is noted on the scale. Then, Solution whose refractive index is to be
known is filled in the hollow prism. When the light passes through the prism it suffers refraction
and its position on the scale is displaced. Minimum displacement on the scale is found by
slightly rotating the prism. After knowing the minimum displacement (d), Dmin (angle of
minimum deviation) can calculated using (1),

( )……………. (1)

Figure 2.1 relation: between minimum displacement and minimum deviation

Then refractive index (n) is calculated using (2),

( )
……………… (2)

Here A is angle of prism, we used equilateral triangular prism so value of A is 60,

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2 Results and discussion

After the calculations with above mentioned ways, we got following results,

1.2. Result of sugar solution

As predicted we found decrease in refractive index with decrease in concentration,
experimental data are in the table below,

Concentration position of mean Dmin Refractive

S.no (%) by weight deviation (angle) index
1 60 43.7 32.91 1.44978
2 57 37.9 29.31 1.40571
3 54 37 28.72 1.39844
4 51 36.4 28.33 1.39353
5 48 35.7 27.87 1.38773
6 45 35 27.4 1.38186
7 42 34.4 27 1.37676
8 39 33.7 26.53 1.37076
9 36 33.1 26.12 1.36555
10 33 32.5 25.709 1.36029
11 30 32.1 25.43 1.35675
12 27 31.6 25.08 1.35229
13 24 31 24.66 1.34689
14 21 30.5 24.31 1.34235
15 18 30 23.96 1.33777
16 15 29.6 23.67 1.33408
17 12 29 23.24 1.3285
18 9 28.6 22.96 1.32475
19 6 27.8 22.38 1.31717
20 3 27.3 22.02 1.31238
21 0 27 21.8 1.3095

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The graph, concentration verses refractive index for sugar solution is shown below,

Refractive index vs concentration

1.46

1.44

1.42

1.4

1.38

1.36 Refractive
index
1.34

1.32

1.3
0 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30 33 36 39 42 45 48 51 54 57 60 63

We see linear dependence of concentration with refractive index from the graph above. The
refractive index of water is 1.33 but here in the graph we see 1.33 value of refractive index
between concentrations 12 and 15 and that of water is below 1.32, this is because of error in
our apparatus.

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1.3. Result of salt solution

As predicted we found decrease in refractive index with decrease in concentration,
experimental data are in the table below,

Concentration Position of Dmin Refractive

S.no (%) by weight mean deviation (angle) index
1 24 100.8 26.5 1.37337
2 22 99.3 26.23 1.36698
3 20 98 25.9 1.36318

4 18 96.8 25.65 1.35964

5 16 95.5 25.35 1.35578
6 14 94.4 25.1 1.35249
7 12 93.2 24.8 1.34888
8 10 91.9 24.51 1.34495
9 8 91.9 24.32 1.34251

10 6 90 24.06 1.33914
11 4 88.8 23.78 1.33544
12 2 88 23.59 1.33296
13 0 86.1 23.1 1.327

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Refractive index vs concentration

1.38

1.37

1.36

1.35
Refractive index

1.34

1.33

1.32
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26

The graph, concentration verses refractive index for salt solution is shown above. We see linear
dependence of concentration with refractive index from the graph above. The refractive index of water
is 1.33 and we have nearly got it.

(Refractive index of sugar solution and salt solution were calculated

with different apparatus setup)
1.4. Reasoning for decrease in refractive index
As the density of the medium increases the refractive index of that medium also increases. A
solution with high concentration of solute means it is denser than the solution with low
concentration of solute. Thus, solution with high concentration of solute has high refractive
index than the solution with low concentration.

1.5. Application of the result

From the concentration verses refractive index graph of any solution, refractive index of
solution at any concentration can be known and the solution can be used in different optical
devices, in experiments of light.

From the graph we can also know concentration of any solution by measuring its refractive
index and use the solution in different chemical processes.

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1.6. Financial report

As all the materials required for the project were available in the laboratory we only needed
to purchase few things.
S.no Material quantity cost
1 Hollow prism 1 200

1.7. Work schedule

September October November December January February

Finalize Project

Proposal
Presentation

Literature
Survey

Apparatus Setup

Experimentation
and Data
Collection

Final
Presentation

1.8. Complications
The complications aroused during the project were as follows:

 We had problem during apparatus setup, we required no change in position of

apparatus during the experiment, which didn’t happen.
 We didn’t have a scale long enough to take reading at large distance from the prism, so
we could have got more accurate data.
 We didn’t get pure salt for our experiment, so we used salt with iodine.
 We didn’t get pure sugar. There were some insoluble impurities in our sugar solution.

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2. Conclusion & Recommendation

The method of calculating refractive index of any solution with any concentration by the
use of LASER makes easy to understand the concentration dependence of refractive index
of that solution. In our experiment we found some error while comparing refractive index
of water, that we measured with the standard one. This is due to small errors in apparatus
arrangement, which could be recovered in another similar project with following
recommendations.

 Fixing a long horizontal straight thick bar, above which source, circular base and
scale stand could be fixed. This will minimize errors from accidental displacement of
apparatus.
 Using measuring tape instead of scale. This will give us high resolution data as
measuring tape can be placed far from prism.

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4 Reference
 www.wikipedia.com
 KATHMANDU UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE, ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY VOL.II, No.1, FEBRUARY, 2006.

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