Abstract

In this lab, the students aimed three laser beams, each of a different color, through a thick
clear object and had to calculate its refraction index of that object. Doing this three times should
give a more accurate result. A method to measure the angle at which the beam shone through and
then exited the object was already set up, it consisted of a sheet of paper below the object that
had a protractor printed on it so that both angles could be calculated. Snells law was derived and
used to solve. The refraction index in the end was measured to be around 1.07 for the results the
group gathered.

Introduction
Since the most important information that was used to solve for the refraction index is Snells
law, this needed to be understood and derived first.
Refractive index: the ratio of the velocity of light in a vacuum to its velocity in a specified
medium. Will be shown as n.
Speed of Light (in a vacuum): will be shown as c.
Refraction: is the bending of the path of a light wave as it passes across the boundary
separating two media. Refraction is caused by the change in speed experienced by a wave
when it changes medium.
Derivation on Snells law

Measuring the Refractive Index

For all three colors of laser beam, it was decided that they would each be aimed at a 35
degree angle towards the clear block. Light refracts at a boundary because of a change in speed.
There is a distinct cause-effect relationship. The change in speed is the cause and the change in
direction (refraction) is the effect. This is the reason why each beam was aimed at an angle
instead of straight across. This first measurement will be the angle of incidence. The angle of the
beam that was refracted on the other side of the clear block and measured is the angle of
refraction. Below is a chart of the results that were measured.
 Angle of Incidence Angle of Refraction
Red Laser Beam 35 34
Blue Laser Beam 35 32
Green Laser Beam 35 33

Then, Snells law equation was applied to the experiment. For all three experiments, the
following was the information given: 1 and 2, as well as the refraction index for air, which is
1.000293. Since we are keeping thing between 2-3 significant figures, 1.00 will be used instead.
Now with these three givens, the equation will be rearranged to solve for the refractive index of
the clear block.

Results