SFT 1013

WAVES AND OPTICS

LAB REPORT MINI PROJECT – APPARENT DEPTH

OBJECTIVE

 To improve the understanding of the apparent depth.

 To determine the refractive index using the real depth and apparent depth.
 To determine the relationship between the real depth and apparent depth.

INTRODUCTION

Real depth is the actual distance of an object beneath the surface, as the depth would be
measured by submerging a perfect ruler along with it.

Apparent depth is the depth of the image of an object submerged in a transparent medium
then the depth is reduced from the real depth of the object by a factor equal to the relative
index of refraction of the medium with respect to air.

Then, the refractive index can be measured by the following formula :

Real depth
n=
Apparent depth
APPARATUS AND MATERIALS

Experiment using ruler Experiment using screw

1. Mug 1. Mug
2. Ruler 2. Screw
3. A jug of water 3. A jug of water
4. Mobile phone 4. Mobile Phone
5. Plasticine 5. Plasticine
6. Wooden block (that has been 6. Wooden block ( that has been
modified) modified)

PROCEDURE

 Experiment using ruler

1. Firstly, place the mug, ruler ( in the mug ) and mobile phone on the wooden
block as shown below.
2. Mark the ruler at 4.0 cm.
3. Then, pour the water until it reached 4.5 cm. You are required to subtract 4.0
cm from 4.5 cm ( Apparent depth)
4. Then, subtract the value that is vertically on the mug level from 4.5 cm ( Real
depth)
 5. Repeat the step 2 until 4 with different level of water.
6. Record the data.
7. Plot the graph by Apparent depth vs Real depth.

 Experiment using screw

1. Firstly, place the mug, screw ( in the mug ) and mobile phone on the wooden
block as shown below.
 2. Make sure the image that appear on the mobile phone is vertically on the
edge of the mug. If not, please do adjust the position of the mug.
3. Pour the water into the mug until you clearly seen the whole image of the
screw.
4. Record the observation.

RESULTS

Level of water Real depth Apparent depth Refractive index

( cm ) n=

Real depth
Apparent depth
4.5 4.5 – 3.3 = 1.2 4.5 – 4 = 0.5 1.2
n= = 2.4
0.5
4.8 4.8 – 3.0 = 1.8 4.8 – 4 = 0.8 1.8
n= = 2.25
0.8
 5.1 5.1 – 2.7 = 2.4 5.1 – 4 = 1.1 2.4
n= = 2.18
1.1
5.5 5.5 – 2.4 = 3.1 5.5 – 4.0 =1.5 3.1
n= = 2.07
1.5
6.0 6.0 – 1.7 = 4.3 6.0 – 4.0 = 2.0 4.3
n= = 2.15
2.0

 Experiment using ruler

 Experiment using screw

Before: After:

DISCUSSION

Based on this experiment, we know that we can calculate the refractive index based on the

Real depth
following formula, n = .The average of the refractive index is 2.21. We know
Apparent depth
that, the refractive index for water is 1.33. Due to the different results of refractive index
between the actual and the experimental, there might be an error while conducting the
experiment.
The errors are, the surface of the mug is uneven. The observer can be very confused when
reading the scale on the ruler. Second, the eyes of the observer might not be in a parallel
line with the scale and this might be the reason of the parallax error. The last one is, maybe
the medium itself. When light travels at an angle between two materials, it bends according
to their refractive indices. Due to this condition, refractive index can provide information of
the behaviour of light that it travels in a straight line. The idea of making this experiment also
involving with the error. Maybe to calculated the refractive index using this method is
inappropriate. But when it goes on the observation of the apparent depth using the screw,
this method might help a lot.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on this experiment, we can conclude that, the apparent depth is increases when the
real depth is increases. It is prove when we construct a graph, apparent depth is directly
proportional to the real depth. The actual refractive index is 1.33 meanwhile, the
experimental refractive index is 2.21 due to the certain error. To calculate the refractive

Real depth
index, we use the formula, n = .
Apparent depth

REFERENCES

https://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/apparent+depth