PM SHREE SCHOOL

JAWAHAR NAVODAYA VIDYALAYA

BHAVNAGAR

“To find refractive indices of water

and turpentine oil”

Submitted by : submitted to:

Vaibhav jinjala. MR. Saurabh

Roll no. :
 CERTIFICATE

This to certify that the project report

entitled “to find refractive indices of
water and turpentine oil” submitted
by vaibhav jinjala during the academic
year 2023 – 2024 is a bonfied piece of
work conducted under my supervision
and guidance. The data sources have
been fully acknowledged. I wish his
success in all his future endeavours.

MR.saurabh Mr. Sitaram meena

(pgt physics) (PRINCIPAL)
 Acknowledgement

I thank my physics laboratory teacher

MR. Saurabh guiding me in doing this
project. His constant support and
encouragement helped me a lot in
completing this project.
I also thank my principal Sir MR.
Sitaram meena for gave me opportunity
with this project. I a m t h a n k f u l all
teaching staff members for constant
encouragement and support.
I also thank my school for providing
such wonderful laboratory facilities.
 Index
SR. NO. CONTENTS PAGE NO.
1 OBJECTIVE 1

2 APPARATUS 2

3 THEORY 2

4 PROCEDURE 3

5 OBSERVATION 6

6 CALCULATION 7

7 RESULT 8

8 PRECAUTION 8

9 SOURCES OF ERROR 9

10 BIBLIOGRAPHY 10
 Objective

TO FIND REFRACTIVE INDICES OF WATER AND

TURPENTINE OIL USING A PALNE MIRROR, AN
EQUICONVEX LENS(MADE OF GLASS OF
KNOWN REFRACTIVE INDEX) AND AN
ADJUSTABLE OBJECT NEEDLE
 Apparatus

A convex lens, an optical needle, a plane mirror, a clamp stand,

a spherometer, a plumb line, metre scale, water and turpentine
oil.

Theory

Let’s add small amount of water on a flat, plane surface and

place a convex lens over it. This forms a plano-concave lens of
water between the lower surface of convex lens and plane
mirror.
Let f1 and f2 are the focal lengths of water lens and convex lens
respectively, then focal length of the combination is:
1 1 1
= +
F f1 f2

1 1 1
= −
The focal length of the plano-concave lens is, f1 F f2 …(i)

From Lens Maker’s formula,

1
f1
=( μ−1 ) (
1 1
−
R1 R2 )
1
μ−1 ¿
=( R

∴ R1 = R and R2 = ∞ for water lens.

 R
μ=1+
∴ The refractive index of water is , f1 …(ii)

(where ‘R’ is the radius of curvature of the concave surfaces of

the plano-concave lens).
l2 h
+
The Radius of curvature of the lens, is R=
6h 2 …(iii)

Procedure

I. For finding the focal length of convex lens:

(i) Measure the rough focal length of the convex lens.

(ii) Place the plane mirror with the convex lens placed on
it above the horizontal base of a clamp stand
horizontally as its tip lies vertically above the optical
centre of the lens. Adjust the needle at a height a little
more than the rough focal length of the convex lens.

(iii) Try to remove the parallax between the tip of the

object needle and its image tip.

(iv) Note the distance of the tip of the needle from the
centre of the upper surface of the lens. Let it be x1.
(Use plumb line).

(v) Remove the convex lens and measure the distance of

the tip of the needle from the plane mirror. Let it be
x2. (Use plumb line).
 (vi) Repeat and record all the observations.

II. For finding the focal length of the plano-

concave lens:

Pour few drops of water over the plane mirror and place
the
convex lens over it. Repeat steps (ii) to (iv) as done
above.
Repeat the procedure with turpentine oil also.

III. For finding ‘l’:

Determine the pitch and least count of scale of the

spherometer. Place the spherometer on the dried surface
of the convex lens. Turn the screw downwards very
gently till the tip of the screw just touches the lens. Read
and record the reading.

Keep the spherometer’s legs on the base of a paper and

adjusting the central screw, find the pricks A, B and C of
the three legs of the spherometer. Join the centres of the
three pricks and measure the lengths with the half-metre
scale. Note the values of AB, BC and AC.
Fig: (a) to find focal length of convex lens

(b) for the length of legs AB, BC, CA of the

Fig: to find focal length of the plano concave lens

 Observations

Pitch of the spherometer= 1 cm

Least count of the spherometer = 0.01 cm
Distance between the legs:
(1) AB = 3 cm
(2) BC = 3 cm
(3) CA = 3 cm

Table for calculation of ‘h’

S.N Initial No. of Final Addition h=n Mean

o reading complet reading al C.S x “h”
of the C.S. e of the div. pitch
on the rotation c.s on moved + m
convex s the x
lens glass L.C
(a) (n) slab
1 62 0 6.5 55.5 0.55 0.577
5 5
2 64 0 4 60 0.6
 To measure focal length f‘ of convex lens

Distance of needle tip

from
Area S.N Tip of the Upper Mean Focal
between o upper surface surface x= lengt
lens and of the convex of the x1 + x2 h
plane lens plane 2

mirror X1 mirror
X2
Without 1 30.5 31 30.75 f1=
liquid 2 36.7 37.2 36.95 33.8
5
With 1 31.4 31.8 31.6 f2=3
water 2 37.5 38.1 37.8 4.7
With oil 1 9.4 9.6 9.5 f3=1
2 10.4 10,6 10.5 0
 Calculation
Mean distance between two legs
AB + BC +CA
l=
3 =3 cm

Mean h = 0.7557 cm
To find the radius of curvature of the convex lens:
l2 + h =2.27366 cm
R=
6h 2

Measurement of refractive indices of water and

turpentine oil
1) With water between the convex lens and the plane
mirror:

R 2.27366
μ =1+ =1+ =1.06552
1
f2 34.7

2) With turpentine oil between the convex lens and the

plane
mirror

R 2.27366
μ =1+ =1+ =1.22736
2
f3 10
 Result
The refractive index of water is µ1 = 1.06552
The refractive index of turpentine oil is µ2 = 1.22736

Precautions

(i) The screw of the spherometer should be moved in

one direction only to avoid backlash error.

(ii) The screw should be moved just to touch the

surface of the convex lens or the glass slab.

(iii) The parallax should be removed properly.

(iv) The lens and the plane mirror should be properly

cleaned.

(v) The convex lens of large focal length should be

used.

(vi) The spherometer reading should be taken first on

the surface of the convex lens and then on the
glass slab.
 Sources of error:

(i) The distances x1 and x2 may not be measured correctly.

(ii) The value of h and l may not be correct.

(iii) Parallax may not be removed properly.

(iv) Backlash error may be acting on

Reference

1. WEBSITES :

• www.wikipedia.org
• www.google.com
• www.yahoo.com

2. BOOKS :

Comprehensive Practical Manual for class XII