Aim To find out the refractive indices of different liquids using a hollow prism
Apparatus Required
- Hollow glass prism
- Various liquids like water, carbon disulphide, benzaldehyde etc.
- Bell pins
- Drawing board
![Determination of refractive indices of various liquids](https://educatech.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/cir2.jpg)
Theory
A prism is a transparent optical element with flat, polished surfaces that refract light. Prisms can be made from any material that is transparent including glass, plastic and fluorite. A prism can be used to break light up into its constituent spectral colors. Prisms can also be used to reflect light, or to split light into components with different polarizations.
![](https://educatech.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/cir3.jpg)
The refractive index of the liquid Is given by the formula:
U=sini/sinr=sin((a+d)/2)/sin(a/2)
Where, U=refractive index of the liquid. a= the angle of minimum deviation d=angle of prism i=angle of incidence r=angle of refraction
Procedure
- Fix a white sheet of paper on the drawing board with help of drawing pins.
- Keep the prism and mark the outline of it as ABC.
- Drop a normal PQ on the side AB.
- Draw the angle of incidence in accordance with the normal PQ and place 2 pins so that they appear to be in the straight line.
- Place the prism filled with given sample of liquid ,on the marked outline ABC.
- Now take the pins and place them on the side AC so that all the 4 pins appear to be in same line.
- Remove the prism and draw the line joining the points so obtained.
- Mark the diagram as shown in the figure.
- Repeat this with different liquids and different angle of incidence.
Observation
- Benzaldehyde
S.no | a º(angle of prism) | i º (angle of incidence) | d º (angle of deviation) |
1 | 60 | 30 | 45 |
2 | 60 | 35 | 42 |
3 | 60 | 37.5 | 40 |
4 | 60 | 39 | 42 |
5 | 60 | 40 | 45 |
U=sin((60+40)/2)/sin(30) = 1.504
- Water
S.no | a º(angle of prism) | i º (angle of incidence) | d º (angle of deviation) |
1 | 60 | 25 | 30 |
2 | 60 | 35 | 22 |
3 | 60 | 40 | 20 |
4 | 60 | 45 | 22 |
5 | 60 | 50 | 25 |
6 | 60 | 55 | 28 |
U=sin((60+22)/2)/sin(30) = 1.306
- Diluted Sulphuric Acid
S.no | a º(angle of prism) | i º (angle of incidence) | d º (angle of deviation) |
1 | 60 | 20 | 33 |
2 | 60 | 30 | 30 |
3 | 60 | 35 | 25 |
4 | 60 | 40 | 29 |
5 | 60 | 45 | 30 |
U=sin((60+25)/2)/sin(30) = 1.351
Refractive indices at room temperature:
- Benzaldehyde
- Actual: 546
- Experimental: 504
- Water
- Actual: 33
- Experimental: 306
- Dil . Sulphuric acid
- Actual: 355
- Experimental: 351
Precautions
- Angle of incidence should lie b/w 35-60 degree.
- Pins should be vertically fixed and should lie in same line.
- Distance b/w two points should not be less than 10mm.
- Same angle of prism should be used for all observation.
- Arrow head should be marked to represent emergent and incident ray.