AIM : To find refractive index of any liquid (water) using a concave mirror.

APPARATUS: A concave
spherical mirror, water, an optical needle, a clamp stand, one meter scale, plumb line, etc. THEORY: If
the tip of object needle 0 be at the centre of curvature C, tip of image will exactly coincide with it.
(Principle axis is verticle to the plane). When water is filled in concave mirror, object needle is again
replaced to move to C' to remove parallax between tips of object needle and its image. A ray starting
from C will reach at E without deviation because it is along radius of curvature. Due to water in the
concave mirror the position of object and image shifts to C' i.e., now ray starting fromC' after refraction
moves along ED and then DC to make apparent image of centre of curtature. Object Needle Image I I I I I
I I I I I I I N / I I I I I I I I I. I II I B Fig. 1 : Refractive index of liquid .. LNDC' = i (angel of incidence) = LBC'D
LMDE = r (angel of refraction) = LBCD sin i allw = sin r DBIDC' DBIDC DC DC' DB In LillC'D, sin i = DC' DB
~BCD sin r = DC For normal view, D will be near B. BC therefore allw = BC' If small quantity of water in
concave mirror B will be very near to P i.e., BC .:::PC and BC' .:::PC' PC Real radius of curvature of mirror
allw = PC' = Apparent radius of curvature of mirror PROCEDURE : (i) Place the concave mirror on a
horizontal surface (plane) so that its principle axis is along vertical. (ii) Hold the optical needle
horizontally in a clamp stand so that its tip lies just above the pole 'P' and at a distance equal to 2f (f is
focal length) as shown in figure 1. (iii) Remove the parallex between the needle and its image. (iv) Mark
the real and inverted image of the optical needle in the mirror. Note the reading of this image. (v)
Measure the distance (PC) using plumb line and metre scale. (vi) This measured distance is the actual
radius of curvature of the concave mirror. (vii) Now add small amount of water to the concave mirror
which will change the position of image needle. (viii) Adjust the screw to upper or lower the optical
needle and adjust its position from 'C' to 'C" to remove parallex between the needle and its shifted
image is seen. (ix) Measure the distance (PC') which is the apparent radius of curvature of the concave
mirror. (x) Repeatedly do the experiment for four to five times and record the readings. OBSERVA TIONS
: Rought focal length of the concave mirror, f = ern. PRECAUTIONS: (i) The mirror and surface of the
water should be very clean. of (ii) The needle should be clamped properly in horizontal position. (iii) The
parallex between the optical needle and its image should be removed properly. Table for refractive
index (J.L) R

HEORY
Let's add small amount of water on a flat, plane surface and place a convex lens over it. This
forms a plano-concave lens of water between the lower surface of convex lens and plane mirror.
Let f 1 and f 2 are the focal lengths of water lens and convex lens respectively, then focal length
of the combination is:
The focal length of the plano-concave lens is, .(i)
From Lens Maker's formula,

=(
R 1 = R and R 2 = for water lens.

The refractive index of water is , .(ii)

(where 'R' is the radius of curvature of the concave surfaces of the plano-concave lens).
The Radius of curvature of the lens, is

Focal length
If f1, f2 and f are the focal lengths of convex lens, liquid
lens and combination respectively, then,
1/f=1/f1 +1/f2 or f2=(ff1)/(f1-f)
Refractive Index
Liquid lens forms a plano-concave lens with R1=R and
R2=∞, then refractive index of liquid (n) from lens maker
formula is, n=(R/f2)+1
Radius of Curvature
The radius of the lower surface of the convex lens is given
from the formula of spherometer, as, R=(l^2/6h) +
(h/2)

DIAGRAM
Procedure
 Focal length of convex lens.
 Find the rough focal length.

 Place the plane mirror on horizontal base of iron stand

and then convex lens on it.

 Hold the needle on the clamp and adjust its position such

that there is no parallax between tip of needle and its

image.
 Measure the distance between tip and upper surface of

the lens and also the distance between tip and upper
surface of the mirror.
 Take the mean of these two distances which will be

equal to the focal length of convex lens (f1).

Focal length of combination.
 Put a few drops of water on mirror and place the convex

lens on it so that water spreads and acts as a plano-

concave lens.
 Determine the equivalent focal length of the combination.

 Repeat the same for oil and glycerol.

Determine the radius of curvature (R) of convex lens

surface using a spherometer.
 For radius of curvature of convex lens surface:
 Find the pitch and the least count of the spherometer.
 Remove the convex lens and dry it completely.
 Place the spherometer on the lens surface.
 Place all the three legs of spherometer symmetrically on
the lens and adjust the central screw tip just to touch the
surface of the lens.
 Remove the spherometer from the surface of lens and
place it on the plane mirror and turn the central screw so
that its tip touches the plane mirror surface. Record the
readings as suggested in Table .
 Get the impressions of three legs of spherometer, on
paper and mark them and their average distance.
Observations
1) Rough focal length of convex lens = ........... cm.
2) Table for focal lengths of lens and combinations.

Arrangement Distance of needle tip from (in cm ) Focal

length
Lens Plane (cm)
surface mirror Mean distance
(x1) (x2) (x)
X=(X1+X2)/2 cm
(cm) (cm)
Without f1 =
liquid ..........

With water fw =
..........

With oil fo =
..........

With glycerol fg =
..........
3) Table for spherometer reading h.

Sr. no. Initial No. of Final m=(a-b) or h=(n*pitch)+(m*L.C.)

C.S.R. on complete C.S.R. on (100+a-b)
convex rotations plane
lens (n) mirror
(a) (b)

1.

2.

3.

Mean value of h = ............ cm.

 Calculations
 l = (l1 + l2 + l3)/3 = ............... cm.
 R = (l^2/6h) + (h/2) = ............... cm.
 f2 = (ff1)/(f-f1) = ............... cm.
 n = 1 + R/f2 = ............... cm.

Results
 The refractive index of water nw = ............... cm.
 The refractive index of oil no = ............... cm.
 The refractive index of glycerol ng = ............... cm.

Precautions
 The plane mirror should be clean and fully shining
surface.
 The liquid taken should be transparent.
 The tip to tip parallax should be removed.
 The legs of spherometer should be vertical.
 Only few drops of the liquid to be taken so that the
layer is thick.

Sources of Error
 Liquid may not be quite transparent.
 The parallax may not be fully removed.
 The legs of spherometer should be placed
symmetrical on the surface of the convex lens.
 The tip of central screw should just touch the surface
of the lens or mirror.