ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First and foremost , I would like to thank the Almighty for giving me the strength ,
knowledge , ability and opportunity to undertake this research study and to
persevere and complete it satisfactorily .Without his blessings this achievement
wouldn’t have been possible.

I have taken great efforts to complete this assignment on ‘FINDING

REFRACTIVE INDEX OF WATER & OIL USING PLANE MIRROR &
EQUICONVEX LENS’. However, it would not have been possible without the
kind support of my Physics teacher, Mr.G.Purusothaman , whose valuable
guidance helped me throughout while doing this project .

I would like to thank my friends, family and all the individuals who have
cooperated and encouraged me which helped me to complete this assignment.

I am highly indebted to ‘Vani Vidyalaya Senior Secondary and Junior

College’ for providing all the necessary information for my assignment and
constantly supervising me.

My sincere thanks to all the people who directly or indirectly helped me to finish
the assignment.

THANK YOU
 ABSTRACT
Aim is to find the refractive index of a) water b) oil using a plane mirror
and equiconvex lens made of glass and an adjustable optic needle

The theory behind liquid lens is based on the properties of one or more
liquids to create magnification within a small amount of space. The focus of a
liquid lens is controlled by the surface the liquid . Water normally forms a bubble
shape when adhered to materials such as glass.

This desirable property makes water a very suitable candidate for the
production of liquid lens. Essentially the liquid must be transparent so as to study
its effect. To generate a liquid lens, a liquid is sandwiched between two pieces of a
clear plastic or a glass. Oil (necessarily transparent) can also be chosen to be used
as a fluid in a liquid lens system. The surface profiles of the liquid determines the
focal length of a liquid lens system and how the liquid lens focuses light rays.
 TABLE OF CONTENT

S.No TITLE Page No.

1. Introduction
2. Aim
3. Materials Required
4. Diagram
5. Theory
6. Procedure
7. Observation
8. Calculation
9. Result
10. Precautions
11. Sources of Error
12. Applications
13. Conclusion
14. Bibliography
 INTRODUCTION

EQUICONVEX LENS:

A lens is biconvex (or double convex, or just convex) if both surfaces are convex. If
both surfaces have the same radius of curvature, the lens is equiconvex.

EquiConvex (Bi-Convex) lenses have the same radius of curvature on both

surfaces. They also have positive focal lengths making them the optimum shape
for producing real images at 1:1 magnification.

PLANE MIRROR:

A plane mirror is a mirror with a flat (planar) reflective surface. For light rays
striking a plane mirror, the angle of reflection equals the angle of incidence. The
angle of the incidence is the angle between the incident ray and the surface
normal (an imaginary line perpendicular to the surface).

Reflection of light is an inherent and important fundamental property of mirrors,

and is quantitatively gauged by the ratio between the amount of light reflected
from the surface and that incident upon the surface, a term known as reflectivity.
AIM:
To find the refractive indexes of(a)water (b) oil using a plane mirror, an
equiconvex lens, and an adjustable object needle.

APPARATUS:
A convex lens, a plane mirror, water, oil, clamp, stand, an optical needle, plumb
line, knitting needle, half meter scale, glass slab, a spherometer.
DIAGRAM:

Fig: Focal length of glass convex les and liquid lens combination
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:-

1 1 1 𝑓𝑓2
= + or f2 =
𝑓 𝑓1 𝑓2 𝑓1 −𝑓

2.Liquid lens formed a plano-concave kens with R1=R and R2=∞ then by using
lens make’s formula

1 1 1
= (𝑛 − 1) ⌊ − ⌋
𝑓2 𝑅1 𝑅2
1 1
=(𝑛 − 1) ⌊ − ⌋
𝑅1 ∞

1
=(n-1)⌊ − 0⌋
R

1 n−1
=
f2 R

𝐑
n= + 𝟏
𝐟𝟐

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= + .
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 plane mirror.
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 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 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.

𝐥𝟏 + 𝐥𝟐 + 𝐥𝟑
l=
𝟑

OBSERVATIONS:
1.Rough focal length of convex lens= 21cm

2.Table 1: To find the focal length of lens and combination:

Arrangement Distance of needle tip Focal length
x(cm)
From lens From plane Mean
surface x1 mirror x2 x= x1+x2
(cm) (cm) 2
Without liquid f1 =
With water fw =
With other fl =
transparent
liquid(kerosene)

3.Table 2 : To find h:

Initial No of Final C.S.R m= (a-b) if h=n x pitch +

C.S.R on complete on plane a>b m x L.C
convex lens rotations mirror =
S.NO
(a) (n) surface (100+a-b) if
(b) a<b
1.
2.
3.

Mean value of h = mm = cm
CALCULATION:
𝑙1 +𝑙2 𝑙3
(i) 𝑙 = =………..cm
3
𝑙2 ℎ
(ii) 𝑅 = + =………..cm
6ℎ 2
𝑓𝑓1
(iii) 𝑓2 = = ……….cm(water)
𝑓−𝑓1
= ………cm(transparent liquid)
𝑅
(iv) 𝑛 =1+ = ……….cm(water)
𝑓2
= …………cm(transparent liquid)

RESULTS:
1. The refractive index of water nw =
2. The refractive index of other liquid nl =

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.

APPLICATION:

1) Convex lens is used in microscopes and magnifying glasses to subject all the
light to a specific point.
2) Convex lens is used as a camera lens in cameras as they focus light for a clean
picture.
3) Convex lens is used in the correction of hypermetropia
CONCLUSION:
This project in overall finds refractive index of any transparent
liquid and also verifies lens maker’s formula.