AISSCE 2020

DETERMINATION OF REFRACTIVE
INDICES OF LIQUIDS USING
BOYE’S APPARATUS
PROJECT IN PHYSICS

REGISTRATION NUMBER:
NAME: P. SHARON MONISHA
BATCH: 2019-2020
SCHOOL ADDRESS: R-40-B, 120 FEET ROAD,
MOGAPPAIR, CHENNAI-600037
 INDEX
 Acknowledgement
 Objective
 Apparatus
 Diagram
 Theory
 Applications
 Procedure
 Observations
 Calculations
 Results
 Precautions
 Sources of error
 Bibliography
 OBJECTIVE
To find the refractive indexes of :
 Water
 Oil
 Ethanol
 Acetic Acid
Using Boye’s apparatus.

APPARATUS
 A convex lens
 A plane mirror
 Water
 Oil
 Ethanol
 Clamp
 Stand
 Anoptical needle
 Plumb line
 knitting needle
 Half meter scale
DIAGRAM
 THEORY

In optics, the refractive index or index of refraction n of a material is a

dimensionless number that describes how light propagates through that
medium. It is defined as:

n = c/v
where, c is the speed of light in vacuum and v is the phase velocity of light in the
medium. For example, the refractive index of water is 1.333, meaning that light
travels 1.333 times faster in a vacuum than it does in water.
The refractive index determines how much light is bent, or refracted, when
entering a material. When light moves from one medium to another, it changes
its direction, i.e., it is refracted.
If i is the angle of incidence of a ray in vacuum and r is the angle of refraction, the
refractive index n is defined as the ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence to
the sine of the angle of refraction.
1. If f1 and f2 be the focal length of the glass convex lens and liquid lens and f
be the focal length of their combination, then :-

1/f = 1/f1 + 1/f2 or f2 = ff2 / f1 – f

2. Liquid lens formed a plano-concave lens with R1 = R and R2= then by

using lens maker’s formula

1/f2 = (n - 1) [ 1/R1 – 1/R2 ]

= (n - 1) [ 1/R1 – 1/ ]

= (n – 1) [ 1/R – 0 ]

1/f2 = n – 1 / R

n = R/f2 + 1
where n = Refractive index of the liquid
R = The radius of curvature of the convex lens
 Applications
The refractive index of a material medium is an important
optical parameter since it exhibits the optical properties of the
material.
Its values are often required to interpret various types
spectroscopic data such as DOAS, ES, RPFTS, IRRS, PWMS.
It is used to calculate the focusing power of lenses, and the
dispersive power of prisms.
The refractive index coefficients are important parameters in
the design of a solid state laser.
The adultration problem is increasing day by day and hence
simple, automatic and accurate measurement of the
refractive index of materials is of great importance these days.
Refractive Index (RI) Detector is designed for high-
performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) applications. It
provides sensitivity, stability and reproducibilty for the
analysis of components with limited or no UV absorption.
Various methods and techniques for the measurement of
refractive indices of liquids, solids and gases. Sensitive
determination of the refractive indices of certain materials is
very important in many fields of research such a s material
analysis and environmental pollution monitoring.
Refractrometric measurements are used for qualitative
analysis for different type of packaging material like glass,
plctics, rubber, silk etc.
 Procedure
a) For focal length of covex lens:
1. Find the rough focal length of the convex lens.
2. Place a plane mirror on the horizontal base of the iron stand and then
a convex lens on the plane mirror.
3. Hold the needle in the clamp stand and adjust its position on the stand
such that there is no parallax between tip of the needle and its image.
4. Measure distance between tip and upper surface of the lens by using
a plumb line and half metre scale. Also measure the distance between
the tip of needle and upper surface of the mirror. Take the mean of
the two readings. This mean distance will be equal to the focal length
of the convex lens(f1).

b) For focal length of the combination:

5. Put a few drops of the water on the plane mirror and put the convex
lens over it with its same face above as before. The water spreads in a
form of layer and acts like a plano-concave lens.
6. Repeat the steps 3 and 4 to determine the equivalent focal length of
the combination.
7. Record the observation
8. Repeat the steps 5,6,7 for other transparent liquids.
 Observations
1.WATER
Distance of needle tip
From Focal
From lens
Arrangement plane Mean x Length
Surface
mirror (x1 + x2)/2 X cm
(x1 cm)
(x2 cm)
Without
21 21.3 21.15 21.15
liquid

With liquid 31.6 32.3 31.95 31.95

2.ETHANOL
Distance of needle tip
From Focal
From lens
Arrangement plane Mean x Length
Surface
mirror (x1 + x2)/2 (X cm)
(x1 cm)
(x2 cm)
Without
19.7 20.1 19.9 19.9
liquid
With liquid
31 31.4 31.2 31.2
 3.OIL
Distance of needle tip
From lens From Mean x Focal
Arrangement Surface plane (x1 + x2)/2 Length
(x1 cm) mirror X cm
(x2 cm)
Without
26.4 27 26.7 26.7
liquid
With liquid
50 50.6 50.3 50.3

4.Acetic Acid
Distance of needle tip
From lens From Mean x Focal
Arrangement Surface plane (x1 + x2)/2 Length
(x1 cm) mirror X cm
(x2 cm)
Without
26.4 27 26.7 26.7
liquid
With liquid
41.5 42.1 41.8 41.8
 RESULTS
1. The refractive index of Water nw = 1.33
2. The refractive index of Ethanol ne = 1.362
3. The refractive index of Oil no = 1.44
4. The refractive index of Acetic acid na = 1.371

Precautions
1. The plane mirror should be clean and fully shining surface.
2. The liquid taken should be transparent.
3. The parallax should be removed tip to tip.
4. The eye should be at a distance about 30 cm from the needle while
removing the parallax.
5. Only few drops of liquid should be taken so that its layer should be thick.

Sources of error
1. Liquid may not be quite transparent.
2. The parallax may not be fully removed.
Bibliography
 www.google.com
 Wikipedia
 Class XII Physics Laboratory Manual
 Class XII NCERT Physics Textbook Part-II