Refractive Index Experiment With Variation of Angle of

Incidence and Medium of Substance

A D Wahid1,*, R A N Rozan2, M Nurjannah3, R Azzahra4, N Fadiah5

Department of Physics Education, Faculty of Mathematics and Science, Universitas
Negeri Semarang, Indonesia

*Corresponding author: wahiddhiya@students.unnes.ac.id

Abstract. The purpose of this refractive index experiment was to (a) determine the value of
the refractive index of pure water, salt water, and sugar water (b) determine the displacement
value in containers with purified water, salt water and sugar water (c) knowing the effect of
the angle of incidence on the angle of deviation and comparison of the refractive index of
pure water, salt water, and sugar water from the results of the practicum with the literature
.This research uses observation method by observing the effect of the angle of incidence on
the angle of deviation and the displacement value in containers with purified water, salt water
and sugar water. The research results that The greater the angle of incidence, namely θi, the
greater the angle of deviation produced, this happens because θi and the angle of deviation
are directly proportional and the shift of the rays depending on the thickness of the glass
block, angle of incidence, and angle of refraction.

1. Introduction

The dependence of the speed of wave propagation on the properties of the medium causes
symptoms of reflection and refraction that occur if a wave crosses a surface that separates two
mediums where the new wave propagates at different speeds. initial wave in its propagation. The
refracted wave is a wave that is continued to the second medium. [1]

Refraction of light is the event of deviation or bending of light because it passes through two
different medium optical densities. The direction of refraction of light is divided into two kinds,
namely approaching the normal line and away from the normal line. Light is refracted toward the
normal when light travels from a less dense optical medium to a denser optical medium, for
example, light travels from air into water. Light is refracted away from the normal when light
travels from a denser optical medium to a less dense optical medium, for example, light travels
from water to air [1]

The index of refraction states the ratio (ratio) between the speed of light in space vacuum with
respect to the speed of light in the material. The speed of light waves in a vacuum of c . If it
passes through a medium, the light will changes in velocity to v, where the magnitude of v is
much smaller compared to the speed of light in a vacuum c . When light propagates in a material,
its rate will decrease by a factor determined by the characteristic of the material is called the
refractive index (n ). The statement can written in the following equation :
 c
n=
v
where, n = refractive Index
c = speed of light in a vacuum (3 x 108 m/s)
v = speed of light in the medium.[2]

In about 1621, a Dutch scientist named Willebrord Snell (1591 – 1626) conducted an experiment
to find the relationship between the angle of incidence and the angle of refraction. The results of
this experiment are known as Snell's law which reads:

a. The incident ray, the normal line, and the refracted ray lie in the same plane.
b. The quotient of the sine of the angle of incidence with the sine of the angle of
refraction is a fixed number and is called the index of refraction. [3]

The angle of refraction depends on the speed of light of the two media and on the angle of
incidence. The analytical relationship between 1 and 2 was discovered experimentally in about
1621 by Willebrord Snell. This relationship is known as Snell's Law and is written:

n1 sin θ1 = n2 sin θ2

where, θ1  = angle of incidence (°)

θ2 = angle of refraction (°)
n1 = refractive index of the medium 1
n2 = refractive index of the medium 2

It is clear from Snell's law that if n2 > n1, then θ2 > θ1, meaning that if light enters a medium where
n is larger (and the speed is smaller), then the light beam is bent towards the normal. And if n2 >
n1, then θ2 > θ1, so the beam is bent away from normal.[3]

The ray entering the refracting plane I will be parallel to the ray coming out of the refracting
plane II and undergo a shift. The shift of the rays is formulated as:

d sin(i−r )
t=
cos r

where, d = thickness of glass block (cm)

i = angle of incidence (°)
r = angle of refraction (°)
t = shift of the rays (cm) [2]
 Figure 1. The shift of the refracted ray to the original direction of the incident ray on a parallel
plane glass. The final refracted ray is parallel to the incident ray but shifted by a distance of the
point G-C. [4]

2. Methods
2.1. Variables
a. Control variables : container width
b. Independent variables : angle of incidence ray, sugar solution concentration, salt solution
concentration.
c. Dependent variables : angle of refraction.

2.2. Time and Place of The Experiment

This experiment was carried out in a span of approximately a week on June 11 - 18, 2021, and was
conducted in the homes of each group member.
2.3. Tools and Materials
In this experiment, the tools and materials used include:

Table 1. Tools and Materials

Tools/Materials Amount Function
Protractor ruler 1 piece To measure angle
Ruler 1 piece To draw a line
As a place to draw the shift in the
Paper 5 piece
propagation of ray
Transparent block-shaped
1 piece As a place of water
container
as a mixing substance with water
Sugar Sufficiently

Salt Sufficiently as a mixing substance with water

Water Sufficiently As a medium for ray

As the object of the incident ray

Needle 4 piece
To draw a container and write a
Pen 1 piece
line

2.4. Work Step

1. Put the container on the paper, then print the bottom of the container on the paper
2. Draw a normal line on the bottom drawing of the container
3. Make the line of incident rays according to the angle of incidence that has been determined
4. Plug 2 needles on the line of incoming rays that have been made
5. Fill the container with water, then place it on the picture at the bottom of the container
6. Observe the needle from the side of the container
7. Put 2 needles on the other side of the container so that they look in a straight line with the
needle on the line of incident light
8. Take the container and the needle, you will see the former dots from the needle
9. Connect the points so that you will get a line of rays coming out of the container
10. Draw a normal line on the line of rays coming out of the container
11. If true, then the angles of the incident ray and the outgoing ray are the same
12. Connect the incoming ray and the outgoing ray from the container
13. Measure the angle of refraction of the ray, then record

Experiment 1
Do according to the steps above with water mixed with salt, and repeat steps 3 - 13 with
angles 150, 300, 450, 600, 900.
Experiment 2
Do according to the steps above with water mixed with sugar, and repeat steps 3 - 13 with angles 15 0,
300, 450, 600, 900.
Experiment 3
Follow the steps above at a fixed angle, and repeat steps 3 - 13 with water mixed with sugar as much
as 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 tablespoons.
Experiment 4
Follow the steps above at a fixed angle, and repeat steps 3 - 13 with water mixed with salt as much as
1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 tablespoons.
Experiment 5
Follow the steps above with pure water, and repeat steps 3 - 13 with angles 15 0, 300, 450, 600, 900.

3. Results and Discussion

3.1. Comparison of each practitioner electroscope experiment result
Practitioner do their own refractive index experiments with different type of water and different
angle. From the electroscope experiment, obtained the following data that can be seen in Table 2, 3
and 4.

Table 2. Observation table of refractive index experiments with salt water

No Components of Thicknes Angle of Angle of Refractive Shift of
salt in water s of glass incidence refraction index of the the rays
(tsp) block salt water
1. 4 8.5 cm 15 ° 9° 1.65 0.899 cm
2. 4 8.5 cm 30 ° 22 ° 1.33 1.276 cm
3. 4 8.5 cm 45 ° 29 ° 1.45 2.678 cm
4. 4 8.5 cm 60 ° 34 ° 1.54 4.494 cm
5. 4 8.5 cm 75 ° 50 ° 1.26 5.589 cm
6. 1 1 0 cm 30 ° 27 ° 1.11 0.587 cm
7. 2 1 0 cm 30 ° 25 ° 1.19 0.961 cm
8. 3 1 0 cm 30 ° 24 ° 1.25 1.144 cm
9. 4 1 0 cm 30 ° 22 ° 1.35 1.501 cm
10. 5 1 0 cm 30 ° 20 ° 1.47 1.848 cm
 Table 3. Observation table of refractive index experiments with sugar water
No Components Thicknes Angle of Angle of Refractive Shift of
of sugar in s of glass incidence refraction index of the the rays
water block sugar water
(tsp)
1. 2 1 0 cm 15 ° 11° 1.35 0.704 cm
2. 2 1 0 cm 30 ° 26 ° 1.14 0.776 cm
3. 2 1 0 cm 45 ° 38 ° 1.15 1.546 cm
4. 2 1 0 cm 60 ° 44 ° 1.25 3.833 cm
5. 2 1 0 cm 75 ° 65 ° 1.06 4.109 cm
6. 1 8.15 cm 45 ° 31.5 ° 1.35 2.231 cm
7. 2 8.15 cm 45 ° 31 ° 1.37 2.300 cm
8. 3 8.15 cm 45 ° 30.5 ° 1.39 2.368 cm
9. 4 8.15 cm 45 ° 30 ° 1.41 2.436 cm
10 5 8.15 cm 45 ° 29 ° 1.45 2.568 cm
.

Table 4. Observation table of refractive index experiments with pure water

No Components of Thickness Angle of Angle of Refractive Shift of
sugar or salt in of glass incidence refraction index of the the rays
water (tsp) block pure water
1. None 8 cm 11 ° 9° 1,36 0,568
2. None 8 cm 21 ° 22 ° 1,46 1,341
3. None 8 cm 30 ° 29 ° 1,41 2,391
4. None 8 cm 41 ° 34 ° 1,32 3,451
5. None 8 cm 48 ° 50 ° 1,30 5,428

Based on this experiment, observations were made on 3 types of liquids, namely water, salt
water and sugar water. The variations applied in this practicum are variations in the angle of
incidence of light and the concentration of the solution. The angles used are 15⁰, 30⁰, 45⁰, 60⁰ and
75⁰ and the concentration of the solution using a teaspoon measure from 1-5 teaspoons. This
practicum was conducted to observe how the light coming from the air medium changes direction
after passing through the liquid medium.
From the experimental data, we can conclude if the angle of incidence is greater than the
angle of dissipation. This happens because when light travels through two medium with different
densities then light will experience a change in speed. This event is known as refraction. When
traveling through air, light propagates with velocity v1 while at propagating in a liquid medium with
a speed will change to v 2 (where v1 > v 2). Snell's law of refraction states that if light propagates from
a medium less dense (air) to a more dense medium dense (liquid) then the light will be bent close to
the normal line. On the other hand, if the light propagate from a dense medium (liquid) to a less
dense medium (air) the light will be bent away from the line normal.
 There are several factors which can affect the deviation of the results these measurements
include temperature and the viscosity of the liquid. The refractive index of liquids is also influenced
by density of the medium through which, too is a function of the concentration of the liquid. [5]
From this factor, it can be concluded that the concentration of the solution is the effect of the
difference in the scattering angle in experiments with variations in the concentration of the solution.
Another factor that must also be considered is the selection of container materials that are not so
good thick and transparent is indispensable in this research to minimize effect of refractive index on
index the refraction of the liquid that we will determine.
Based on the results of this practicum, we can prove that through refraction experiments using
plan parallel we can determine the value of the refractive index of some liquid substances, such as
water, sugar water and salt water.

4. Conclusions
Based on the results of data analysis that has been obtained, it can be concluded that :

a. The greater the angle of incidence, namely θi, the greater the angle of deviation produced, this
happens because θi and the angle of deviation are directly proportional.
b. The refractive index of liquids is also influenced by density of the medium through which, too
is a function of the concentration of the liquid
c. The refractive index obtained from the calculation results is not in accordance with the
literature. This is due to inaccurate data collection or the refractive index in the first medium,
namely air, is not equal to one.

Acknowledgement
Our thanks go to 1) Dr. Ellianawati, S.Pd, M.Si. and 2) Nila Prastya Aryani, S.Si, M.Si.

References
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[3] Soedojo, Peter. (1999). Fisika Dasar. Yogyakarta: Andi Press.
[4] Stockley, Corinne. (2007). Kamus Fisika bergambar. Jaktara: Erlangga.
[5] Hidayanto, E., Tanabe, T., and Kawai, J. (2010). Measurement Of Viscosity and Sucrose
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