FOCAL LENGTH AND REFRACTIVE INDEX OF A LENS

AIM:
The aim of this experiment is to determine the focal length (f) of a convex lens and its
refractive index.
YOU WI !""#:
A $% cm focal length &i'convex lens( an optical pin (or long () cm) thin nail)( r*ler( plane
mirror( sheet of matt &lac+ paper( light so*rce for ill*minating the apparat*s (an ad,*sta&le
des+ lamp is ideal)( retort stand( &oss( clamp( cor+
W-AT TO #O:
(a) .et*p the apparat*s as sho/n in diagram (a) /ith the lens on the mirror and /ith the
pinhead verticall0 a&ove the centre of the lens. Move the pin *p and do/n *ntil there is no
parallax &et/een the pin and its inverted virt*al image formed &0 reflection from the plane
mirror and refraction &0 the lens. Meas*re the distance &et/een the pin and the centre of the
lens. This is the focal length of the lens (f).
!ote: traditionall0 the point of the pin has &een *sed to locate the image &*t this means that it co*ld &e near the
experimenter1s e0e. 2or safet0 stic+ the point of the pin in the cor+ and locate the image *sing the head. It is still
possi&le to o&tain an acc*rate reading *sing this method.
A!AY.I. A!# 3O!3U.IO!:
4ecord the val*e of the focal length. 4epeat the experiment three times( moving the pin form
the final position &et/een each reading.
$
r
A
d
P
C
L
A
B
M
P
(a)
(&)
f
!ote: #iagrams not to scale relative to each other
L
W-AT TO #O:
(&) .et *p the apparat*s as sho/n in diagram (&) /ith the lens resting on the piece of matt
&lac+ paper. 5lace the pin so that it is ro*ghl0 half the focal length from the lens. Use the
lamp to ma+e s*re that the pin is /ell ill*minated.
Move the pin *p and do/n *ntil there is no parallax &et/een the pin and its inverted virt*al
image formed &0 reflection from the lo/er face of the lens (A).
4ecord the distance (d) of the pin from the centre of the lens. 4epeat the readings.
T*rn the lens over and ma+e a similar set of meas*rements *sing face 6 as the lo/er face.
A!AY.I. A!# 3O!3U.IO!:
Use 0o*r res*lts to calc*late the refractive index of the glass of the lens.
When the pin has no parallax /ith its image the virt*al o&,ect distance is 'r
A
and the image
distance is d.
These 7*antities are related &0 the e7*ation for a lens: $8* 9 $8v : $8f
$8'r
A
9 $8d : $8f
2rom this e7*ation r
A
ma0 &e fo*nd since d has &een meas*red and f is +no/n from part (a).
The e7*ation for the focal length (f) of the lens involving its refractive index (n) and the radii
of c*rvat*re of its t/o faces (r
A
and r
6
) is:
$8f : (n ; $)($8r
A
; $8r
6
)
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