ARMY PUBLIC

SCHOOL DANAPUR
CANTT
PHYSICS INVESTIGATORY
PROJECT
SESSION :- 2015-2016

TOPIC:-To find out the refractive indices

of different liquids using a hollow prism

SUBMITTED BY:GUIDED BY:GAURAV BAMAN

XII SCI A
ROLL NO -

CERTIFICATE
THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT GAURAV
BAMAN 0F CLASS XII SCI A HAS
SUCCESSFULLY
COMPLETED
HIS
INSSVESTIGATORY PROJECT WORK
OF
PHYSICS
FOR
CLASS
12
PRACTICAL
EXAMINATION
OF
CENTRAL BOARD OF SECONDARY
EDUCATION IN YEAR 2015-16.

DATE
:
TEACHERS SIGNATURE
EXAMINERS SIGNATURE

:
:

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY
SINCEERE GRATITUDE TO MY
PHYSICS MENTOR - MR. PK
SAMANTRAY FOR HIS VITAL
SUPPORT,
GUIDANCE
AND
ENCOURAGEMENT
WITHOUT
WHICH THIS PROJECT WOULD
HAVE NOT COME FORTH. I
WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY
IMENSE GRATITUDE TO THE LAB
ASSISTANT MR SANTOSH FOR
HIS KIND SUPPORT DURING THE
MAKING OF THIS PROJECT.

THANKS

Project
Overview
Aim
Apparatus Required
Theory
Procedure
Observations
Conclusions
Precautions

Bibliography
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

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 colours. Prisms can also be used to reflect light,
or to split light into components with different
polarizations.
The refractive index of the liquid
Is given by the formula:
U=sin(i)/sin(r)=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
1. Fix a white sheet of paper on the
drawing board with help of drawing
pins.
2. Keep the prism and mark the outline
of it as ABC.
3. Drop a normal PQ on the side AB.
4. 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.
5. Place the prism filled with given
sample of liquid on the marked
outline ABC.
6. Now take the pins and place them on
the side AC so that all the 4 pins
appear to be in same line.
7. Remove the prism and draw the line
joining the points so obtained.
8. Mark the diagram as shown in the
figure.

9. Repeat this with different liquids and

different angle of incidence.

Observation
Benzaldehyde

S.no

a (angle of
prism)

1
2
3
4
5

60
60
60
60
60

i (angle of
incidence)

30
35
37.5
39
40

d (angle of
deviation)

45
42
40
42
45

U = sin ((60+40)/2)/sin(30)
= 1.504

s.no
1
2
3
4
5
6

a (angle of pri i (angle of incidence) d (angle of deviation)

sm)

60
60
60
60
60
60

30
35
40
45
50
55

25
22
20
22
25
28

U = sin ((60+22)/2)/sin(30)
= 1.306

Dil. Sulphuric Acid

S.no
1
2
3
4
5

a (angle of
prism)

60
60
60
60
60

i (angle of
incidence)

20
30
35
40
45

U = sin((60+25)/2)/sin(30)
= 1.351

d (angle of
deviation)

33
30
25
29
30

Conclusion
Refractive indices at room temperature:

Benzaldehyde
Actual

= 1.546

Experiment = 1.504
Water
Actual

= 1.33

Experiment = 1.306
Dil. Sulphuric acid
Actual

= 1.355

Expweriment = 1.351

Precautions
Angle of incidence should lie b/w 3560 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.