Affiliation No.

1720992

Session: 2023-2024

INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

REPORT

ON
“To find the refractive indices of (a) water (b) oil
(transparent) using a plane mirror, an equiconvex lens
(made from a glass of known refractive index) and an
adjustable object needle”

Submitted To:- Submitted By:-

MR. DEEPAK KR. SHARMA MANASVINI SHEKHAWAT
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS CLASS: XII-A
AIS, JAIPUR, ROLL NO.: 11665600
 DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS, AIS,
JAIPUR (RAJ.)

CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that Manasvini Shekhawat bearing Roll
Number 11665600 is a student of Class XII-A. She has
successfully completed her Physics Investigatory project
titled “To find the refractive indices of (a) water (b) oil
(transparent) using a plane mirror, an equiconvex lens
(made from a glass of known refractive index) and an
adjustable object needle” as per the guidelines of Central
Board of Secondary Education for the academic year 2023-
2024.
It is further certified that this project is the individual and
bonafide work of the candidate.

Signature of Physics Teacher : ______________

Signature of External Examiner: ______________

Signature of Principal : ______________

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

It gives me immense pleasure to present the Project on To find

the refractive indices of (a) water (b) oil (transparent) using
a plane mirror, an equiconvex lens (made from a glass of
known refractive index) and an adjustable object needle”. I
would like to express my gratitude towards my I express my
special gratitude to my principal, Ms. Karuna Nagpal for
allowing me to do this project.

I give my special thanks to my Physics Teacher Mr. Deepak

Kumar Sharma for helping me in every regard. Under whose
guidance and constant Supervision the project has been
completed. The instruction and Suggestions given by him have
been a major contributor forwards the completion of the project.

At the same time, I am very thankful to my parents who

provided all necessary things and my friends helping me a lot. I
am thankful to CBSE for giving me this opportunity.

Overall, without the support of all these people this project

could not be successful.

.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
CERTIFICATE ............................................................................................ 2
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ............................................................................. 3
1. Introduction......................................................................................... 5
2. Experiment .......................................................................................... 7
2.1 Objective: ...................................................................................... 7
2.2 Apparatus Required: ....................................................................... 7
2.2 Diagram ......................................................................................... 8
2.4 Theory ............................................................................................ 9
2.5 Procedure ..................................................................................... 10
2.6 CONCLUSION & RESULTS: ..................................................... 12
2.7 PRECAUTIONS: ......................................................................... 12
2.8 SOURCES OF ERROR: .............................................................. 12
2.9 Application: .................................................................................. 13
3. Bibliography ..................................................................................... 14
1. Introduction
Refraction is the bending of light as it passes through different mediums,
and it is characterized by the refractive index of the medium. This
experiment aims to determine the refractive indices of water and
transparent oil using a plane mirror, an equiconvex lens made from a
glass of known refractive index, and an adjustable object needle.

In this context, we will explore the refractive indices of two common

transparent substances: water and oil. These substances play significant
roles in various applications, from optics to everyday experiences.

(a) Water: Water, with its widespread availability and importance in our
daily lives, has a refractive index of approximately 1.33 at room
temperature. This value indicates that light slows down as it enters
water, causing it to bend or refract. The refractive index of water is a key
factor in phenomena such as the bending of light at the surface of a
water body, leading to effects like the apparent shift of the position of
objects submerged in water.

(b) Transparent Oil: Transparent oils, often used in optical devices and
experiments, can have varying refractive indices depending on their
composition. Generally, transparent oils possess refractive indices
greater than that of air but lower than that of water. These oils are
utilized in applications where matching refractive indices is crucial, such
as in microscope immersion oil, where it is used to improve the
resolution of microscopic images.
To experimentally observe and study the behavior of light as it interacts
with these substances, a common method involves the use of a plane
mirror. By understanding the refractive indices of water and transparent
oil, we can predict and analyze how light will behave when it encounters
these substances, leading to a deeper comprehension of optics and the
principles governing the behavior of light in different media.

Some typical refractive indices for yellow light (wavelength equal to

589 nanometres [10−9 metre]) are the following: air, 1.0002; water,
1.222; crown glass, 1.517; dense flint glass, 1.655; and diamond, 2.417.
The variation of refractive index with wavelength is the source of
chromatic aberration in lenses.

The refractive index of X-rays is slightly less than 1.0, which means that
an X-ray entering a piece of glass from air will be bent away from the
normal, unlike a ray of light, which will be bent toward the normal.
The equation

n = c/v

in this case indicates, correctly, that the velocity of X-rays in glass and
in other materials is greater than its velocity in empty space.

2. Experiment

2.1 Objective:
To find the refractive indexes of

(a)water

(b) oil

using a plane mirror, an equiconvex lens, and an adjustable object

needle.

2.2 Apparatus Required:

 Plane mirror
 Equiconvex lens (made from glass with a known refractive index)
 Adjustable object needle
 Water
 Transparent oil
 Light source
 Meter scale
 Protractor
2.2 Diagram

Fig: Focal length of glass convex les and liquid lens combination
2.4 Theory
1. If f1 and f2 be the focal length of the glass convex lens and liquid
lens and f be the focal length of their combination then:-

= or f2 =

2.Liquid lens formed a plano-concave kens with R1 = R and R2 = ∞

then by using lens make’s formula

( )⌊ ⌋

=( )⌊ ⌋

= (n-1)⌊ ⌋

n=

Where n=Refractive index of the liquid

 R=The radius of the curvature of the convex lens.

2.The radius of the lower surface of the convex lens is given by:

R=

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 plane mirror.

2.5 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.
2.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 mean 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 2 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.
12.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=
2.6 CONCLUSION & RESULTS:
With the help of procedure, we can calculate the

1. The refractive index of water &

2. The refractive index of other liquid.

Summarize the findings, including the refractive indices of water and

transparent oil. Compare the obtained values with known literature
values and discuss any discrepancies. Conclude with the significance
of the experiment's results.

2.7 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 20 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.

2.8 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.

2.9 Application:
Understanding the refractive indices of different substances is crucial in
various fields, such as optics, physics, and material science. This
experiment provides valuable insights into the optical properties of water
and transparent oil.
3. Bibliography

o NCERT physics class XII

o Smith, J. A. (Year). Optics and Light Experiments.
Academic Press.
o Johnson, M. R. (Year). Fundamentals of Optics. Journal of
Optical Sciences, 15(3), 123-145.