Experiment no:12

Newton’s Ring- Refractive Index of light

Jalaj Pathak-20128
1 Department of Physics, IIIT Una, India.
(Dated: June 21, 2021)

I. ABSTRACT

To calculate the refractive index of the given liquid.

II. THEORY AND MOTIVATIONS

Thin film interference: A film is said to be thin when its thickness is about the order of one wavelength of visible light which
is taken to be 550 nm. When light is incident on such a film, a small portion gets reflected from the upper surface and a major
portion is transmitted into the film. Again, a small part of the transmitted component is reflected back into the film by the lower
surface and the rest of it emerges out of the film. These reflected beams reunite to produce interference. Also, the transmitted
beams too interfere. This type of interference that takes place in thin films is called interference by division of amplitude.

In the above figure the rays r1 2 and t2 1 interfere and results in a constructive or destructive interference depending on their path
differences, given as,

∗ Electronic address: 20122@iiitu.ac.in

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Constructive Interference:
λ
2µ2 dcos(r1 2) = (2m + 1)
2
Destructive Interference:

2µ2 dcos(r1 2) = mλ

The transmitted light from t2 3can also interfere and result in constructive or destructive interference.
Thin film interference with films of varying thickness (Newton’s rings): Rings are fringes of equal thickness. They are observed
when light is reflected from a planoconvex lens of a long focal length placed in contact with a plane glass plate. A thin air film
is formed between the plate and the lens. The thickness of the air film varies from zero at the point of contact to some value t.
If the lens plate system is illuminated with monochromatic light falling on it normally, concentric bright and dark interference
rings are observed in reflected light. These circular fringes were discovered by Newton and are called Newton’s rings.
A ray AB incident normally on the system gets partially reflected at the bottom curved surface of the lens (Ray 1) and part of
the transmitted ray is partially reflected (Ray 2) from the top surface of the plane glass plate. The rays 1 and 2 are derived from
the same incident ray by division of amplitude and therefore are coherent. Ray 2 undergoes a phase change of p upon reflection
since it is reflected from air-to-glass boundary.
The condition for constructive and destructive interferences are given as; for normal incidence cos(r) = 1 and for air film µ = 1.
Constructive Interference:
λ
2t = (2m + 1)
2
Destructive Interference:

2t = mλ

To find the refractive index of the liquid:

The experiment is performed when there is an air film between the plano-convex lens and the optically plane glass plate. The
diameter of the mth and the m + pth dark rings are determined with the help of a travelling microscope.
For air,
Dm+p 2 = 4(m + p)λ r, Dm 2 = 4mλ r
Dm+p 2 − Dm 2 = 4pλ r

As shown in figure arrange the lens with glass plate. Pour one or two drops of liquid whose refractive index is to be determined
without disturbing the arrangement. Now the air film between the lens and glass plate is replaced by the liquid. The diameters
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of m + pth and mth rings are determined.

For liquids,
2µtcosr = mλ , for dark rings
For normal incidence, cosr = 1, so
r2
2µt = mλ , t = 2R , r = D2

From the equations,

Dm+p 2 − Dm 2
µ=
D0 m+p 2 − D0 m 2

III. EXPERIMENTAL SETUP AND APPARATUS

A. Setup

B. Apparatus Required

• Start button,
• Light source,
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• Filter,
• Microscope,
• Lens,
• Medium, and
• Glass plate.

IV. OBSERVATIONS

Least Counts of parameters:

Least count of main scale = 0.005 cm
Least count of vernuer scale = 0.001 cm

Medium1 = Air
Medium2 = Kerosene
Light source = red light
P taken = 2

A. Observation Table

1. For Mdeium-1: (Air)

Left Right
Sr. No. No. of Rings Dm Dm 2 Dm+p 2 D2m+p − Dm 2
Main Scale Value Vernier Scale Value Total Main Scale Value Vernier Scale Value Total
1. 2 2.3 0.040 2.3 0.040 2.34 2.55 0.232 0.0538 0.1317 0.0779
2. 4 2.25 0.036 2.256 2.6 0.019 2.619 0.363 0.1317 0.1624 0.0307
3. 6 2.25 0.005 2.255 2.65 0.008 2.658 0.403 0.1624 0.2171 0.0547
4. 8 2.2 0.026 2.226 2.65 0.042 2.692 0.466 0.2171 0.2641 0.0470
5. 10 2.2 0.001 2.201 2.7 0.015 2.715 0.514 0.2641 0.3237 0.0596
6. 12 2.15 0.021 2.171 2.7 0.040 2.740 0.569 0.3237 0.3684 0.0447
7. 14 2.15 0.005 2.155 2.75 0.012 2.762 0.607 0.3684 0.4225 0.0541
8. 16 2.1 0.033 2.133 2.75 0.033 2.783 0.65 0.4225 0.49 0.0675
9. 18 2.1 0.005 2.105 2.8 0.005 2.805 0.7 0.49 0.5343 0.0443

TABLE I: Observation Table

2. For Medium-2: (Kerosene)

Left Right
Sr. No. No. of Rings Dm Dm 2 Dm+p 2 D2m+p − Dm 2
Main Scale Value Vernier Scale Value Total Main Scale Value Vernier Scale Value Total
1. 2 2.35 0.008 2.358 2.5 0.001 2.501 0.143 0.0204 0.0718 0.0514
2. 4 2.3 0.023 2.323 2.55 0.041 2.591 0.268 0.0718 0.1135 0.0417
3. 6 2.25 0.035 2.285 2.6 0.022 2.622 0.337 0.1135 0.1552 0.0417
4. 8 2.25 0.007 2.257 2.65 0.001 2.651 0.394 0.1552 0.1909 0.0357
5. 10 2.2 0.036 2.236 2.65 0.023 2.673 0.437 0.1909 0.2218 0.0309
6. 12 2.2 0.015 2.215 2.65 0.036 2.6886 0.471 0.2218 0.25 0.0282
7. 14 2.2 0.001 2.201 2.7 0.001 2.701 0.5 0.25 0.3069 0.0569
8. 16 2.15 0.021 2.171 2.7 0.025 2.725 0.307 0.3069 0.3422 0.0353
9. 18 2.15 0.005 2.155 2.7 0.040 2.740 0.587 0.3442 0.3698 0.0276

TABLE II: Observation Table

V. CALCULATIONS

The mean value of Dm+p 2 − Dm 2 = 0.0533cm

and, the mean value of D0 m+p 2 − D0 m 2 = 0.0388cm
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Now, we calculate the value of refractive index of medium,

Dm+p 2 − Dm 2
µ=
D0 m+p 2 − D0 m 2

hence, the refractive index of kerosene,

µ = 1.37

VI. ERROR ESTIMATION

A. Experimental Error

The theoretical value of the refractive index of kerosene is 1.44.

And we the experimental value as per our calculations is 1.37
Hence, the experimental error,

|T heoretical value − Experimental Value|

Exp. error = × 100
T heoreticalvalue
Hence, the experimental error is 4.86%

B. Max. Possible Error

We know that,

Dm+p 2 − Dm 2
µ=
D0 m+p 2 − D0 m 2

Hence, to calculate max. possible error, we take log and differentiate both sides,
We get,

δµ 2Dm+p ∆Dm+p − 2Dm ∆Dm 2D0 m+p ∆D0 m+p − 2D0 m ∆D0 m
= +
µ Dm+p 2 − Dm 2 D0 m+p 2 − D0 m 2

Hence, max. possible error is 7.84%

VII. RESULT

Hence, we calculated the refractive index of kerosene as 1.37 with an error of 4.86%.

VIII. REFERENCE

• Serway, Raymond et.al. College Physics. Belmont: Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning, 2009.
• Srivastava, Anchal. Practical Physics. City: New Age International (P) Ltd, 2006.
• Srivastava, Anchal. Practical Physics. City: New Age International (P) Ltd, 2006.