ASIAN

INTERNATIONAL
SCHOOL
New Korola, NH 6, Dhulagori, Howrah, West Bengal 711302

PHYSICS INVESTIGATORY
PROJECT
2019-‘20

DETERMINATION OF REFRACTIVE
INDICES OF VARIOUS LIQUIDS USING A
HOLLOW PRISM

Submitted by : Projata Chakrabarti

Class XII-B
 BONA FIDE CERTIFICATE
It is hereby to certify that, the original and genuine investigation
work has been carried out to investigate about the subject matter
and the related data collection and investigation has been
completed solely, sincerely and satisfactorily done by
Projata Chakrabarti
of Class XII, ASIAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, regarding
the project titled,
“REFRACTIVE INDICES OF
VARIOUS
MEDIUMS”.

Signature of the Guide Principal’s Signature

Submitted for ALL India SENIOR SECONDARY

EXAMINATION at ASIAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL,
Howrah.

Internal Examiner External Examiner

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The successful completion of any task would be incomplete

without mentioning the names of those persons who helped to
make it possible. I take this opportunity to express my gratitude
in few words and respect to all those who helped me in the
completion of this project. It is my humble pleasure to
acknowledge my deep senses of gratitude to my Physics teacher,
Mr. Sanjeev Chatterjee

for his valuable support, constant help and guidance at each and
every stage, without which this project would not have come
forth. I also register my sense of gratitude to our principal,
Mrs. Vijay Lakshmi Kumar,

for her immense encouragement that has made this project

successful. I would also like to thank my friends and family for
encouraging me during the course of this project. Last, but not
the least, I would like to thank CBSE for giving us the
opportunity to undertake this project.
 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, dil. Sulphuric acid, 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=sini/sinr=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

Fix a white sheet of paper on the drawing board with help of

drawing pins.

Keep the prism and mark the outline of it as ABC.

Drop a normal PQ on the side AB.

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.

Place the prism filled with given sample of liquid ,on the
marked outline ABC.

Now take the pins and place them on the side AC so that all the
4 pins appear to be in same line.

Remove the prism and draw the line joining the points so
obtained.

Mark the diagram as shown in the figure.

Repeat this with different liquids and different angle of

incidence.
 Observation
 Water

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

 Dil. Sulphuric acid

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

 Benzaldehyde

U=sin{(60+40)/2}/sin(30) = 1.504
 Conclusion
Refractive indices at room temperature:

Water:

Actual: 1.33

Experimental: 1.306

Dil . Sulphuric acid:

Actual: 1.355

Experimental: 1.351

Benzaldehyde:

Actual: 1.546

Experimental: 1.504
 Precautions

Angle of incidence should lie between 35-60 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.
 Bibliography
I have taken the information written in this investigatory project
from the following sources:

1. Comprehensive Practical Physics Class XII by Laxmi

Publications.
2. Optics and Modern Physics – B.M Sharma

I have taken the diagram drawn in this investigatory project

from the following source:

1. New Simplified Physics Vol. II by S.L Arora and published

by Dhanpat Rai Publication.