DAV PUBLIC SCHOOL, DVC ,MTPS

PHYSICS INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

2023-2024

Name – Sourima Dey

Class – XII
Board Roll No. –
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Sourima Dey has completed her

Physics Investigatory Project as prescribed by the AISSC
course during the academic year 2023-24.
We have noticed that during the period she have shown
keen interest in her assignments and have completed the
project sincerely and diligently.

Signature of Signature of Signature of

Internal External Principal
Examiner Examiner
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to take this opportunity to express

special gratitude to my physics teachers Mr. Avik
Sarkar and Mr. Saikat Sarkar as well as our principal
Mr. NK Gautam who gave me the wonderful
opportunity to do this project.
This opportunity to participate in this project has
helped me to improve my research skills and I am
really grateful to them.
I would also like to thank my family and friends for
constantly encouraging me during this project,
which I couldnot have completed without their
support and continuous encouragement.
 INDEX
INTRODUCTION
OBJECTIVE / AIM
APPARATUS / MATERIAL REQUIRED
DIAGRAM
THEORY
PROCEDURE
OBSERVATIONS
CALCULATIONS
RESULTS
PRECAUTIONS
SOURCES OF ERRORS
BIBLIOGRAPHY
PHOTOGRAPHY
 INTRODUCTION

The refractive index (n) of an optical medium is defined as the ratio of speed of light in
vaccum and the speed of light in that medium. It is a dimensionless number that
describes how light propagates through that medium.

For visible light most transparent media has refractive indices between 1 and 2.Gases at
atmospheric pressure have refractive index close to 1 because of low density.
Almost all solids and liquids have refractive indices above 1.3 with aerogel as clear
exception. Aerogel is a very low density solid that can be produced with refractive index
from 1.002 to 1.265 .
The refractive index depends upon the density of the medium higher is the density, more
is the refractive index value of that particular medium

Refraction of a
light ray
 AIM
To find the refractive indexes of
(a)Glycerine
(b) Oil
(c) Acetone

APPARATUS
 Convex Lens
 Plane Mirror
 Oil
 Acetone
 Glycerine
 Clamp Stand
 An Optical Needle
 Plumb Line
 Knitting Needle
 Half Meter Scale
 Glass Slab
 Spherometer

DIAGRAM
 THEORY
1. If f1 and f2be the focal length of the glass convex lens
and liquid lens and f be the focal length of their
combination then:-

1 1+ 1 Ff2
F =f 1 f 2 or f2 = f −F 1

2. Liquid lens formed a Plano-concave Lens with R1=R

and R2=∞ then by using lens make’s formula

1 1 1
=( n−1 ) ⌊ − ⌋
f2 R 1 R2

1 1
=( n−1 ) ⌊ R 1 − ∞ ⌋

1
= (n-1) ⌊ R −0 ⌋

1 n−1
f2
= R

R
n =f 2
+1
Where n = Refractive index of the liquid
R = the radius of the curvature of the convex lens.

3. The radius of the lower surface of the convex lens is

given by:
2
l h
R= +
6h 2

Here, l is the average distance between the legs of the

spherometer and h is the difference in the reading of the
spherometer when placed first on the convex lens and
then on planemirror.

PROCEDURE
 (a) For focal length of convex lens:
1. Find the rough focal length of the convex lens.

2. Place a plane mirror on the horizontal base of the iron stand

and then a convex lens on the plane mirror.

3. Hold the needle in the clamp stand and adjust its position on
the stand such that there is no parallax between tip of the needle
and its image.

4. Measure distance between tip and upper surface of the lens by

using a plumb line and half meter scale. Also measure the
distance between tip of needle and upper surface of the mirror.
Take the mean of the two readings. This means distance will be
equal to the focal length of the convex lens (f1).

(b) For focal length of the combination.

5. Put a few drops of the water on the plane mirror and put the
convex lens over it with its same face above as before. The water
spreads in a form of layer and acts like a Plano-concave lens.
6. Repeat the steps 3 and 4 to determine the equivalent focal
length of the combination.
7. Record the observation.
8. Repeat the steps 5, 6, 7 for other transparent liquid (oil).

(c) For radius of curvature of convex lens

surface:
9. Determine the pitch and the least count of the spherometer.

10. Remove the convex lens and dry it completely. Put the
spherometer on this lens surface.

11. All the three legs of the spherometer should be placed

symmetrically on the lens and adjust the central screw tip to
touch the surface of the lens.

12. Remove the spherometer from the surface of the lens and
place on the plane mirror surface and record the reading.

13. Repeat the steps 10 and 11 three times.

14. Obtain the impressions of the three legs of the spherometer

on a paper and mark them and their average distance.

l 1+l 2 +l 3
l= 3
 OBSERVATIONS
To find h
S.N Initial No. of Final Additiona h=n Mean
o reading of complete reading l C.S div. x “h”
the C.S. on rotations of the moved pitch (cm)
the convex C.S.R on (m) +mx
lens (n) the glass L.C
(a) slab
1 10 01 80 30 0.13 0.13cm

2 20 01 90.5 29.5 0.12

9

To find focal length ‘f’ of lens and combination

Rough focal length of convex lens= 21cm

Distance of needle tip from

Arrangemen S.No Tip of the upper Upper Mean Focal
t surface of the surface of x1 + x 2 Length
x= 2
convex lens(cm) the plane (cm)
X1 mirror(cm)
X2
Without 1. 31 33 32 F1=32
liquid
With 2. 14.1 14.3 14.2 Fg = 14.2
glycerine
With 3. 15.2 15.6 15.4 Fa=15.4
acetone
With oil 4. 16 16.1 16.05 Fo=16.0
5

CALCULATIONS

Mean distance between two legs

AB+ BC+ CA
l=
3
=3.5cm

To find the radius of curvature of the convex lens:

2
l h
R= + =15.7 cm
6h 2

Measurement of refractive indices of glycerine, oil and acetone

1) For glycerine
R 21
Μ 1=1+ =1+ =1.47
Fg 43.85

2) For oil
 R 15.7
μ2=1+ =1+ =1.67
Fo 23.24

3) For acetone
R 21
μ3=1+ =1+ =1.36
Fa 57.75

Results

The refractive index of glycerine is µ1 = 1.47

The refractive index of oil is µ2 = 1.67

 The refractive index of acetone is µ3 = 1.36

PRECAUTIONS

1. The plane mirror should be clean and fully shining

surface.
2. The liquid taken should be transparent.
3. The parallax should be removed tip to tip.
4. The eye should be at a distance about 30 cm from the
needle while removing the parallax.
5. Only few drops of liquid should be taken so that its layer
should be thick.
6. The legs of the spherometer should be vertical.
7. The centre leg of the spherometer should turn in one
direction only.

SOURCES OF ERROR
1. Liquid may not be quite transparent.
2. The parallax may not be fully removed.
3. The spherometer legs should be placed symmetrical on
the surface of the convex lens.
4. The tip of the central screw should not just touch the
surface of lens or mirror.
 Bibliography
 Help from teachers
 NCERT PHYSICS Textbook
 NCERT Physics Lab Manual
 www,google.com
 www.physicslab.com
 www.wikipedia.com
Photograph