Certificate

This is to certify that Ankush Datta a student of class XII A has

successfully completed the research on the below mentioned project under
the guidance of Mrs.Neera Gupta and Mr. Pankaj Singh selvi during the
year2023-2024 in partial fulfillment of physics practical conducted by
AISSCE as per CBSE

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to express my special thanks of gratitude

to my physics teacher Mrs.Neera Gupta and
Mr.Pankaj Singh, as well as our senior principal,
Mrs.Palash Kumar Saha and for providing me with
the opportunity to work on this beautiful project.
Secondly, I would also like to thank my parents and
friends who helped me to finish this project within
the limited time frame. Finally, I would like to thank
everyone without whose help I could not have
completed my project successfully.

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 INDEX

 Aim

 Materials Required

 Theory

 Procedure

 Observation

 Calculation

 Results

 Precautions

 Sources of error

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Aim:
To find refractive indices of water and turpentine oil using a plane
mirror, a equiconvex lens (made from a 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, = − …(i)
𝑓1 𝐹 𝑓2

1
From Lens Maker’s formula, = ( 𝜇 − 1) ( 1 − 1 )
𝑓1 𝑅1 𝑅2
1
=(𝜇 − 1)
𝑅

∴ R1 = R and R2 = ∞ for water lens.

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∴ The refractive index of water is , 𝜇 = 1 + 𝑅
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 = + …(iii)
6ℎ 2

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).

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 (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.

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Fig: (a) to find focal length of convex lens

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

Fig: to find focal length of the plano concave lens

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 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.No Initial No. of Final Additional h=n x Mean

reading of complete reading C.S div. pitch “h”
the C.S. on rotations of the c.s moved +mx
the convex on the L.C
lens (n) glass slab
(a)
1 62 0 6.5 55.5 0.555 0.5775
2 64 0 4 60 0.6

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 To measure focal length f ‘ of convex lens

Distance of needle tip from

Area S.No Tip of the upper Upper Mean Focal
𝑥1+ 𝑥2
between surface of the surface of x= length
lens and convex lens the plane 2

plane mirror X1 mirror

X2
Without 1 30.5 31 30.75 f1=
liquid 2 36.7 37.2 36.95 33.85
With water 1 31.4 31.8 31.6 f2=34.7
2 37.5 38.1 37.8
With oil 1 9.4 9.6 9.5 f3=10
2 10.4 10,6 10.5

CALCULATIONS
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:

2
𝑅= 𝑙
+ℎ
6ℎ 2 = 2.27366 𝑐𝑚

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Measurement of refractive indices of water and turpentine oil

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

𝜇1 𝑅 2.27366
=1+ = 1+ = 1.06552
𝑓2 34.7

2) With turpentine oil between the convex lens and the

plane mirror

𝜇 =1+ 𝑅

2 𝑓3 = 1 + 2.27366 = 1.22736
10

Result
The refractive index of water is µ1 = 1.06552

The refractive index of turpentine oil is µ2 = 1.22736

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 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 the spherometer.

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