OBJECTIVE:

Tofindtherefractiveindexesof(a)water(b)oil
usingaplanemirror,anequiconvexlens,andan
adjustableobjectneedle.

APPARATUS:
Aconvexlensoffocallength20cm,aplane
mirror,givenliquid(saywater),oil,clampstand,
plumbline,knittingneedle,meterscale,cork,a
spherometer.

DIAGRAM:

Fig:Focallengthofglassconvexlensandliquidlens
combination

THEORY:
1.I ff1 andf2 be
thefocallengthoftheglass
convexlensandliquidlensandfbethefocal
lengthoftheircombinationthen:

2.LiquidlensformedaplanoconcavelenswithR1
=RandR2=thenbyusinglensmaker's
formula

1
f2

= ( 1) R1
1

1
R2

1
1
= ( 1) R1

=( 1) R1 0
f1
2

(1)
= R

R
f2

+ 1

Wheren=Refractiveindexoftheliquid
R=Theradiusofthecurvatureofthe
convexlens.

3.Theradiusofthelowersurfaceoftheconvex
lensisgivenby:
l2
R= 6h

h
2

Here,listheaveragedistancebetweenthelegs
ofthespherometerandhisthedifferencein
thereadingofthespherometerwhenplaced
firstontheconvexlensandthenonplane
mirror.


PROCEDURE:
A : For focal length of convex lens:
1) At the plane base of iron stand , place the plane mirror
horizontally with its reflecting surface facing upwards.
2) clamp the needle
horizontally on the stand by
passing it through the
cork.Adjust its position in
such a manner that the tip of
needle lies along the principal
axis, in the line with optical
center of the lens
3) let height of needle be
slightly greater than the focal
length of the lens
4) observe the image of the needle in the lens form
above.coincide the tip of needle ands its image by adjusting

its position along the stand .make fine adjustments to remove

any parallax if present.
5)measure the distance between tip of needle and (i) upper
surface of the lens (fu ),(ii) lower the surface of lens (f1).find
the mean value ofg f =

f u+f 1
2

.This is the focal length of

convex lens
6) take at least four set of readings and find the mean value
of focal length
7) Pour a few drops of water in the plane mirror to form a
thin layer over it .this forms a plano concave(water)lens
between mirror surface and convex lens. agin follow the
same procedure to find the focal length of this combination
of water lens and convex lens

B : For radius of curvature of convex lens surface:

8) Find the pitch and at least count of given
spherometer wip the convex
lens dry and place the
spherometer on the lens.

9) Lower down the screw of

spherometer till its tip just
touches the lens,Record the
reading the circular
scale
10) Now place the
spherometer on the plane
mirror
surface(after reducing the lens).Again lower down the
screw till its tip touches the mirror surface.Again
record the circular scale reading.The difference
between these two readings gives the value of
sagitta(h)
11) find 2-3 values of h and calculate its mean value.
12) to find the value of I, i.e, the distance between legs of
spherometer, press it on page of your notebook.The
impressions of tips of legs will be formed.join these points
using a sharp pencil pencil.Measure the distance between
them and find the mean value of I

OBSERVATIONS:

DistanceofTipofneedlefrom

Uppersurfaceof
lensfu(cm)

PlaneMirror
feu(cm)

MeanValue
f u+f l
f1 =
2

MeanValue
offocallength

OnlyConvex
lensonplane
mirror

9.5

10.1

9.8

Withliquidin
betweenplane
mirrorand
convexlens

14.1

15

14.55 f=14.55cm

Withoil

17.4

18.2

17.8

f1=9.8cm

f=17.8cm

Positionofspherometer Pitchscalereading(PSR) circularscalereading(CSR) D=PSR+CSR(LC)

Ontheplanemirror

1mm

24

a=0.124cm

Ontheconvexlens

0mm

b=0.005cm

CALCULATION:
(i) h = a-b=0.124-0.005=0.119

(ii) Mean Value between two legs of spherometer

=2.9 cm
(iii) R =

l2
6h

+ 2h =0.119/2+8.41/6*0.119=11.838

(iv) = 1 + Rf =

RESULTS:
1. Therefractiveindexofotherliquid
=

PRECAUTIONS:

1. Theplanemirrorshouldbecleanandfully
shiningsurface.
2. Theliquidtakenshouldbetransparent.
3. Theparallaxshouldberemovedtiptotip.
4. Theeyeshouldbeatadistanceabout30cm
fromtheneedlewhileremovingtheparallax.
5. Onlyfewdropsofliquidshouldbetakenso
thatitslayershouldbethick.
6. Thelegsofthespherometershouldbe
vertical.
7. Thecentrelegofthespherometershould
turninonedirectiononly.

SOURCES OF ERROR:

1. Liquidmaynotbequitetransparent.
2. Theparallaxmaynotbefullyremoved.
3. Thespherometerlegsshouldbeplaced
symmetricalonthesurfaceoftheconvex
lens.
4. Thetipofthecentralscrewshouldnotjust
touchthesurfaceoflensormirror.

INDEX

Objective And Apparatus

Diagram
Theory
Procedure
Observations
Calculations
Results
Precautions
Sources Of Errors

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 incidence is the angle between the incident ray

and the normal .The image formed by a plane mirror is
always virtual ,upright, and of the same shape and size as
the object it is reflecting. Plane mirrors are the only type of
mirror for which a real object always produces an image that
is virtual, erect and of the same size as the object. The focal
length of a plane mirror is infinity; its optical power is zero.

CONVEX LENS:
An optical lens is generally made up of two spherical
surfaces. If those surfaces are bent outwards or convex, the
lens is called a biconvex lens or simply convex lens. These
lenses can converge a beam of light coming from outside and
focus it to a point on the
other side. This point is
known as the focus and
the distance between the
centre of the lens to the
focus is called the focal
length of convex lens
The lens in the human eyes is a biconvex lens. So the most
common use of the lens is that it helps us to see.
It is used to correct Hypermetropia or longsightedness.
It is used in cameras because it focuses light and produces a
clear and crisp image.
It is also used in other magnifying devices such as
microscopes and telescopes.

SPHEROMETER :
A spherometer is an instrument for the precise measurement
of the radius of curvature of a sphere or a curved surface.
Originally, these instruments were primarily used by
opticians to measure the curvature of the surface of a lens
The Spherometer consists of a
micrometer screw threaded
into a small tripod with a
vertical scale fastened to it.
The head of the screw has a
graduated disk used to
measure fractional turns of
the screw. The vertical scale is
used to measure the height or
depth of the curvature of the
surface.
The vertical scale divisions
are on 1 mm, which is the pitch of the threads of the screw.
The head of the screw is graduated into 100 divisions.