Physics Investigatory
Project
BY- VANI AGARWAL
SESSION-2024-2025 CLASS- 12 NEWTON ROLL NO-27
1
Certificate
This is to certify that
has successfully completed her physics
project titled
under the supervision and guidance of
in the partial fulfilment of the physics
practical assessment conducted during
the year
Acknowledgement
2
I would like to express my immense
gratitude to my physics teacher Ms
Deepmala Ma’am for the help and
guidance she provided for the
completion of the project.
I also thank my parents who gave
their ideas and inputs in making this
project. Most of all I thank our
school management, providing us
the facilities and opportunity to do
this project.
Last but not the least I would like to
thank my classmates who have
helped me a lot.
-Vani Agarwal
Index
3
Content Page no
Certificate 1
Acknowledgement 2
Topic 4
Introduction 5
Objective 6
Material required 6
Theory 7-8
Procedure 9-10
Diagram 11
Observation 12
Calculation 13
Result 13
Precautions 14
Source of error 15
Bibliography 15
Topic
To find the refractive indices of (a)
water (b) oil (transparent) using a
4
plane mirror, an equiconvex lens
(made from a glass of known refractive
index) and an adjustable object
needle.
5
Introduction
In optics, the refractive index of an optical medium
is a dimensionless number that indicates the light
bending ability of that medium. The refractive
index determines how much the path of light is
bent, or refracted when entering a material. This is
described by Snell’s law of refraction, n1 sin θ1= n2
sin θ2,
where
θ1=Angle of incidence
θ2=Angle of refraction
n1=incident index
n2=refracted index
respectively of a ray crossing the interface
between the two media with refractive indices n1
and n2.
6
Objective
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.
Material Required
Double convex lens (f=20cm)
plane mirror (of size bigger than the
aperture of convex lens)
transparent liquids (water, oil)
an iron stand with a clamp
optical needle
plumb line
knitting needle
half meter scale
glass slab
spherometer
a liquid dropper
Theory
7
If f1 and f2 be the focal length of glass convex
lens and liquid lens and f be the focal length of
their combination then,
1 1 1 𝑓𝑓2
= + 𝑜𝑟 𝑓2 =
𝑓 f1 𝑓2 𝑓1 − 𝑓
Liquid lens formed in the planoconcave lens
with R1= R (radius of curvature of convex lens
surface)
R2=∞
1 1 1
= ( 𝜇 − 1) [ − ]
𝑓2 𝑅1 𝑅2
1 1 1
= ( 𝜇 − 1) [ − ]
𝑓2 𝑅1 ∞
1 1
( )
= 𝜇 − 1 [ − 0]
𝑓2 𝑅
1 𝜇−1
=
𝑓2 𝑅
𝑅
𝜇 = +1
𝑓2
where,
8
n= refractive index of the liquid
R= the radius of the curvature of the convex
lens
The radius of the lower surface of the convex
lens is given by:
𝑙2 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 the plane mirror.
9
Procedure
To measure focal length f of the convex
lens
1. Find the rough focal length of the convex lens by
focusing the image of a distant object on a plane
wall and measuring the distance between the lens
and the image with a half meter scale.
2. Place the plane mirror on the horizontal base of an
iron stand with its reflecting surface facing upwards.
3. Plane the convex lens on the plane mirror. The
plane mirror should be at such a level so that you
can conveniently look it from above.
4. Fix a bright optical needle in the clamp of the iron
stand and hold it horizontally above the lens. Adjust
the position of the needle so that its tip lies on the
vertical optical axis of the convex lens at a height
equal to the rough focal length of the convex lens.
5. Keeping the eye 30cm above the optical needle,
look down for its image in the lens. Adjust the height
of the optical needle till there is no parallax between
the tip of the optical needle and its image.
6. Using a half meter scale and a plumb line, measure
the distance d1 of the tip of the needle from the top
of the convex lens, and also the distance d2 from
the top of the plane mirror. The average of these
10
two distances gives the focal length of the convex
lens.
To measure focal length of combination of glass
convex lens and water plano- concave lens.
7. With the help of a dropper, pour a small amount of
water under the lens so that the space between
mirror and lens id filled with water.
8. By gradually shifting the optical needle upward,
adjust the height of the needle so that its tip again
the coincides with its image formed by the lens
combination. Remove the parallax between the
needle and its image.
9. Measure the distance d1 of the tip of the needle
from the top of the convex lens, and also the
distance d2 from the top of the plane mirror. The
average of these two distances gives the focal
length of the lens combination.
To measure the focal length of the convex glass lens
and liquid plano concave lens
10. Remove water from the space between the
convex lens and the plane mirror and dry up the
surface.
11. With the help of a dropper, pour a small amount of
oil under the lens so that the space between the mirror
and lens is filled with oil.
12. Determine the focal length of the combination by
adjusting the needle for no parallax position and
11
measuring its distance from top of the lens and the
plane mirror.
Diagram
12
13
Observation
Rough focal length of the convex lens=
cm
S.No Arrangement Distance of the Focal length
optical needle from of lens or
lens
combination
Top of Plane Mean
conve mirror 𝑑 =
x lens d2 𝑑1 +𝑑2
d1 2
1 Convex lens f=CF=
on plane
mirror
2 Water in f’= CF’=
between lens
and plane
mirror
3 Oil in f” =CF” =
between lens
and plane
mirror
14
Calculation
i. R=f= cm
𝑓𝑓′ 𝑅
ii. 𝑓𝑤 = = 𝑐𝑚 , 𝜇𝑤 = 1 + = .
𝑓−𝑓′ 𝑓𝑤
𝑓𝑓′′ 𝑅
iii. 𝑓2 = 𝑓−𝑓′
= 𝑐𝑚 ,𝜇2 = 1 + 𝑓 =
𝑤
Result
1. Refractive index of water from the
experiment, μw= .
Refractive index of water from the
standard table, μ’w=1.33
′
𝜇𝑤 − 𝜇𝑤
%𝑒𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 = ′
× 100 = %
𝜇𝑤
2. Refractive index of transparent medium
from the experiment, μl= .
Refractive index of transparent liquid from
the standard table, μ’l= .
𝜇𝑙′ − 𝜇𝑙
%𝑒𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 = ′ × 100 = %
𝜇𝑙
15
Precautions
1. The principal axis of the convex lens should be
vertical and optical needle should be held
horizontally.
2. The tip of the optical needle should lie above
the optical centre of the lens on its vertical
principal axis.
3. The convex lens should be of large radius of
curvature.
4. The parallax between the needle and its image
should from tip to tip.
5. The eye should be kept at a distance of about
30 cm above the needle.
6. The distance of the optical needle should be
measured from both surfaces of the convex
lens and their mean should be taken as the
focal length of the lens or the lens combination.
7. Only a small amount of water should be put
gently between the mirror and the lens surface
with the help of a dropper so that it may fill up
the entire space between them without
disturbing the position of the lens.
16
Sources of error
The two surfaces of the convex lens may
not have the same radius of curvature.
The mirror may not be exactly horizontal.
The liquid may not be quite transparent.
The parallax may not be fully removed.
Bibliography
www.google.com
Physics lab manual by SL Arora
https://knowledgecycle.in/to-find-
the-refractive-index-of-a-water-b-oil-
using-a-plane-mirror-and-an-
equiconvex-lens-and-an-adjustable-
object-needle/
