Physics
Investigatory project
• Name- Atharva tiwari
Made •
•
Class-12th A
Roll number-33
by •
•
Year-2025-26
Submitted to-Mr. Rajendra Singh
CERTIFICATE
• This is to certify that Atharva
Tiwari of class XII A has made
this project on the topic 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 under the guidance
of our Physics teacher, Mr.
Rajendra Singh SIR and HAVE
BEEN completed successfully.
TEACHER SIGN………………
TOPIC
To find the refractive
indices of-
➢ water
➢ transparent oil
using a plane mirror, an
equiconvex lens of
known refractive index
and an adjustable
object needle.
INDEX
• ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
• INTRODUCTION
• OBJECTIVE / AIM
• APPARATUS / MATERIAL REQUIRED
• DIAGRAM
• THEORY
• PROCEDURE
• OBSERVATIONS
• CALCULATIONS
• RESULTS
• PRECAUTIONS
• BIBLIOGRAPHY
Acknowledgement
I want to express my sincere gratitude to
all these individuals for mentoring and
supporting me in completing this project.
My teacher (Mr. Rajendra Singh sir) for
providing me with invaluable insights and
direction.
Our esteemed principal fosters an
environment of learning and creativity
within our school.
To my parents, their constant
encouragement, patience, and
understanding have been the pillars of
my success.
I am grateful to my friends who
contributed ideas and perspectives that
enriched the project. Thank you,
everyone, for shaping this project and
enhancing my learning experience.
INTRODUCTION
In optics, the refractive index or index of
refraction n of a material is a dimensionless
number that describes how light propagates
through that medium. It is defined as
𝑐
n= 𝑣
Where c is the speed of light in a vacuum and
v is the phase velocity of light in the medium.
For example, the refractive index of water is
1.333, meaning that light travels 1.333 times
faster in a vacuum than it does in water.
APPARATUES
REQUIRED
• Convex Lens
• Plane Mirror
• Water
• Oil
• Clamp Stand
• An Optical Needle
• Plumb Line
• Knitting Needle
• Half Meter Scale
• Glass Slab
• Spherometer
DIAGRAMS
THEORY
If f1 and f2 be the focal lengths of the
glass convex lens and liquid lens, and F
be the focal length of their
combination, then:
1 1 1 𝐹𝑓1
𝐹
= 𝑓1+ 𝑓2 or f2=𝑓1−𝐹
2. Liquid lens formed a Plano-concave
Lens with R1=R and R2=∞, then by
using the lens make's formula
1 1 1
= (n - 1) [𝑅1
𝑓2
-𝑅2]
=(n – 1)[𝑅1 -∞1 ]
=𝑛−1
𝑅
1 𝑛−1
𝑓2 𝑅
=
𝑅
n=𝑓2 +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:
𝑙2 ℎ
R= +2
6ℎ
Here, I 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 a plane mirror.
PROCEDURE
(a) For the focal length of a
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 the tip of the
needle and its image.
•4. Measure the distance
between the tip and the upper
surface of the lens by using a
plumb line and a half-meter
scale. Al measure the distance
between the tip of the needle
and the upper surface of the
mirror. Take the mean of the
two readings. This means the
distance will be equal to the
focal length of the convex lens
(f1).
(b) For the 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
the form of a layer and acts
like a Plano-concave lens.
6. Repeat steps 3 and 4 to
determine the equivalent
focal length of the
combination.
7. Record the observation.
8. Repeat 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 it on the plane
mirror surface, and record
the readings.
13. Repeat 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
𝑙1+𝑙2+𝑙3
l= 3
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
TABLES
CALCULATIONS
Mean distance between
two legs
𝐴𝐵=𝐵𝐶=𝐶𝐴
l= 3
= 3cm
0.555+0.6
Mean of h = 2
=
0.5775 cm
To find the radius of
curvature of the convex
lens:
𝑙2 ℎ
R= + =2.8861 cm
6ℎ 2
Measurement of refractive indices
of water and oil
1)With water between the
convex lens and the plane mirror:
𝑅
µ 1=1 + 𝑓2=1+2.8861
34.7
=1.0831
2) With oil between the convex
lens and the plane Mirror. µ
𝑅 2.8861
µ2=1 + =1+
𝑓3 10
=1.2286
Results
•The refractive index
of water is µ₁ = 1.0831
•The refractive index
of oil is µ₂ = 1.2886
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 center leg of the
spherometer should turn
in one direction only.
SOURCES OF ERROR
• Liquid may not be quite
transparent.
• The parallax may not be fully
removed.
• The spherometer legs should
be placed symmetrical on the
surface of the convex lens.
• The tip of the central screw
should not just touch the
surface of lens or mirror.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
•HELP FROM INTERNET
•HELP FROM TEACHERS
•NCERT TEXTBOOK
•NCERT Physics Lab Manual
•[Link]
