BANNARI AMMAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

SATHYAMANGALAM – 638 401

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL SCIENCES

LAB MANUAL

ENGINEERING PHYSICS LABORATORY

S1 (Common to all branches)

BANNARI AMMAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

SATHYAMANGALAM – 638 401

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL SCIENCES

Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 1

 LAB MANUAL

Torsion Pendulum Torsion Pendulum Torsion Pendulum

(without masses) (masses close to the axis) (masses away from the axis)

Torsion Pendulum

Rigidity Modulus - Torsion Pendulum

Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 2
Expt. No: Date:

AIM

To determine the moment of inertia of the disc and the rigidity modulus of the
material of the suspension wire by torsional oscillations.

APPARATUS REQUIRED
 Metallic disc
 Torsion wire
 Symmetrical masses
 Stop clock
 Metre scale
 Screw gauge, etc.,

FORMULA

Moment of Inertia of the Disc

T 20
I =2 m( d22 −d 21 )
( T 22 −T 21 ) kg m2

Symbol Explanation Unit

I moment of inertia of the disc kg m2
m 50 Mass placed on the disc (mass of one of the symmetrical masses) kg
d1 closest distance between the center of mass and the wire m
d2 farthest distance between the center of mass and the wire m
T0 time period without any mass placed on the disc s
T1 Time period when equal masses are placed at a distance d1 s
T2 Time period when equal masses are placed at a distance d2 s

TABULATION - I
L T 20
T 2 2 2
To Calculate O and ( T 2 −T 1 )
Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 3
S.No Length of Distance Time for 10 oscillations (s) Period L / T02
the between T 10-2 T02
suspension the masses (s) (m/s2 ) ------------
Trial I Trial II Mean
wire L (10-2m) ( T22 - T12 )
(10-2m)
No mass 65 63 To =

d1 = 2.5
near centre 66 64
1 53.4
T1 =
d2 = 5.5
edge
70 70 T2 =
No mass 75 77 To =

d1 = 2.5 77 79
2 72.8
d2 = 5.5 82 84 T1 =

T2 =
Mean

Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 4

 Rigidity Modulus of the material of the wire
8 πI L
n=
r 4 T 20 N/m2

Symbol Explanation Unit

I moment of inertia of the disc kg m2
n rigidity modulus of the material of the suspension wire N/m2
L length of the suspension wire m
r radius of the suspension wire m

PROCEDURE
 One end of the material of the wire is clamped using a vertical chuck. A metallic
disc is attached to the other end of the wire.
 The length of the suspension wire is fixed to a particular value. The disc is slightly
twisted so that the disc executes torsional oscillations.
 The time taken for ten oscillations is noted using a stop clock. Two trials are taken
for each length. The mean time period T0 is found.
 Now two equal masses are placed on either side of the center of the disc close to the
suspension wire.

Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 5

LEAST COUNT FOR SCREW GAUGE

Pitch
Least count = Number of head scale divisions

Distance moved 5 mm
Pitch = Number of rotaions given = 5
= 1mm

1mm
Least count = 100
= 0.01mm

TABULATION - II

To determine the radius of the wire using screw gauge

Least Count: 0.01 mm Zero error : - 10 div

Zero correction : 0 .10 mm

Pitch Scale Head Scale Observed Reading OR = Correct Reading

S.NO Reading Coincidence PSR + ( HSC X LC ) CR = OR ± ZC
PSR HSC
( 10-3 m) (div) (10-3 m) ( 10-3 m)
1. 0 47 0.47 0.57

2. 0 46 0.46 0.56

3. 0 47 0.47 0.57

4. 0 47 0.47 0.57

5. 0 46 0.46 0.56

Mean diameter (d) = 0.566 x 10-3 m

Radius (r = d/2) = 0.283 x 10-3 m

Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 6

  The closest distance d1 from the center of the mass to the center of the suspension
wire is found.
 Now the disc is made to execute torsional oscillations. The time taken for 10
oscillations is measured and the time period T1 is calculated.
 Now the two equal masses are placed at the edges of the disc. The farthest distance
d2 from the center of the mass to the center of the suspension wire is found.
 Now the disc is made to execute torsional oscillations. The procedure is repeated
and the time period T2 is calculated.
 The radius of the wire(r) is found using a screw gauge.

Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 7

OBSERVATION

Mass placed on the disc m= 50 x 10-3 kg

The closest distance between the suspension wire

and the center of the mass d1 = 2.5 x 10-2m

The farthest distance between the suspension wire

and the center of the mass d2 = 5.5 x 10-2m

Radius of the suspension wire r= 0.283 x 10-3m

Mean value of L/T02 = x 10-2 m/s2

Mean value of T02 /( T22 - T12 ) =

CALCULATION

Moment of Inertia of the Disc

T 20
I =2 m( d22 −d 21 )
( T 22 −T 21 ) kg m2

Rigidity Modulus of the material of the wire

8 πI L
n=
r 4 T 20 N/m2

Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 8

VIVA QUESTIONS

1. Why is it called torsion pendulum?

2. What happens to the period of oscillation when decreasing the length of the
pendulum?

3. Define moment of inertia.

4. Give the dimensional form of shear modulus.

5. Which material is used in the manufacture of torsional pendulum wire?

6. How will you determine the rigidity of fluids?

STIMULATING QUESTIONS:

1. If the radius of the wire is doubled, how will the rigidity modulus vary?

2. What will happen if the radius of the wire is doubled?

RESULTS

The moment of inertia of the disc I = x 10-3 kg m2

The rigidity modulus of the material of the given wire n = x 10 10 N/m2

Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 9

 Air wedge arrangement

Fringe pattern

Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 10

 THICKNESS OF A GIVEN THIN WIRE - AIR WEDGE

Expt. No: Date:

AIM

To determine the thickness of a thin wire by forming an air wedge, and make an
observations on the interference bands.
APPARATUS REQUIRED

 Travelling microscope
 Two optically plane glass plates
 A thin wire
 A glass plate
 Sodium vapour lamp
 Reading lens etc.,

FORMULA
Thickness of the given wire
L
t = ---------- m
2
Symbol Explanation Unit
t thickness of the given wire m
L distance between the tied end and the thin wire m
 wavelength of sodium light m
 fringe width m

Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 11

LEAST COUNT FOR TRAVELLING MICROSCOPE

Least count = Value of 1 MSD/ Number of divisions in the vernier

Value of 1 MSD = 0.05 cm
Number of divisions in the vernier = 50
Therefore, Least count = 0.05 cm / 50 = 0.001 cm

TABULATION- I Determination of fringe width (  )

LC = 0.001 cm TR = MSR + (VC X LC)

Microscope reading Width for Fringe width

Order of
MSR VC TR 5 fringes 
fringes
(10-2 m) (div) (10-2 m) (10-2 m) (10-2 m)

n 13.0 14
n+5 12.85 23
n+10 12.7 12
n+15 12.55 29
n+20 12.4 24
n+25 12.25 15
n+30 12.15 13
n+35 12.0 30
n+40 11.9 32

Mean () =

Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 12

PROCEDURE
 Two optically plane glass plates are placed one over the other and tied at one end.
The given wire is introduced near the other end, so that an air wedge is formed
between the plates.
 The distance between the wire and the tied end (L) is measured using a scale.
 Light from a sodium vapour lamp is incident on a plane glass plate inclined at an
angle 45 to the horizontal.
 The reflected light from the plane glass plate is incident normally on the optically
plane glass plates forming the air wedge and reflected back.
 The reflected light from the air-wedge is viewed through the eye-piece of a
microscope. The microscope is moved up and down and adjusted for clear
interference fringes of alternate dark and bright.
 The microscope is fixed so that the vertical cross-wire coincides with the dark
band (say the nth band) and the reading is taken.
 The microscope is moved across the fringes and readings are taken when the
vertical cross-wire coincides with the (n+5)th , (n+10)th ….. dark bands.
 The readings are tabulated. From the observations the width  of a band is
calculated.
OBSERVATION
Length of the Air Wedge L = 5.7 x 10-2 m
Wavelength of the sodium vapour lamp  = 5893 x 10 –10 m
Fringe width  = _____ x 10-2 m
CALCULATION
Thickness of the given wire
L
t = ---------- m
2

Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 13

Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 14
VIVA QUESTIONS

1. Give examples for monochromatic sources.

2. What is the condition for the occurrence of the phenomenon of interference?

3. How can the thickness of insulation on a wire be measured by forming air-wedge?

4. What is the effect of length of air-wedge on band width?

5. What do you mean by interference of light?

6. Why the beam splitter has to be inclined exactly at 45°?

7. How will you test the optical flatness using this arrangement?

Stimulating Questions

1. If a mercury lamp (white light) is used instead of the sodium vapour lamp, what will
happen to the fringe?

2. Trace out the applications of air wedge.

RESULT

The thickness of a thin wire using air wedge method t = _____ x 10-5 m

Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 15

 Determination of Wavelength

Particle Size determination by LASER

Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 16

 DETERMINATION O F WAVELENGTH OF LASER

Expt. No: Date :

AIM

To determine the wave length of the given laser using grating.

APPARATUS REQUIRED

 Laser source
 Grating
 Stand
 Screen
 Metre Scale, etc.,

FORMULA

Wave length of the given laser source of light

sin θ
λ=
mN (m)

Symbol Explanation Unit

 wavelength of the laser light m
N number of lines per metre length of the given grating lines/ m
m order of diffraction No unit

Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 17

TABULATION I To determine the wavelength of the given laser

Distance between the Distance between the Distance between the

grating and the center central spot and first first order spot (BC) Sin  =
S.Mean
No sin  = spot order spot and the grating slit BC/ AC
AB BC AC=√ (AB2+BC2)
(10-2m) (10-2m) (10-2m)

1 6 14

2 6.5 15.1

3 7 16.3

4 8 17.4

5 8.5 18.5

1. Give some remarkable points that differentiate an ordinary light from the laser
source.
2. How will you determine the size of the particle using laser?

PROCEDURE

I. Todetermine the wavelength of the given laser source

1. An Optical grating of known N value is fixed on the grating mount that is placed on a
wooden stand.
2. Laser beam from the given semiconductor laser source is made to fall normally on the
fixed grating
3. Now, the grating diffracts laser beam. A screen is kept on the other side of the grating
to obtain the diffraction pattern.
4. In the diffraction pattern, the distance between the center spot and first order
diffraction spot (BC) on either side in the screen is measured.
5. The distance between the grating and screen (AB) is also measured.
6. The above procedure is repeated for different values of AB.
7. The distance between the diffracting slit and the first order diffraction spot is
calculated by using AC=√(AB2+BC2)

Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 18

 8. Now since BC and AC are known, Sin  = BC/ AC is calculated. From the mean
value of this sin, the wavelength of the laser is calculated using the formula.

Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 19

VIVA QUESTIONS

1. What are the different types of lasers available? Which one is used in this experiment?

2. Differentiate spontaneous from stimulated emission?

3. Distinguish between laser source and convention light sources.

4. How is population inversion achieved ?

5. List out the precautions to be taken while doing experiments with laser.

6. Will laser undergo diffraction through ordinary grating? Justify.

Stimulating Questions
1. If you use ordinary light source, will you get diffraction?

2. Is it possible to produce stimulated emission in the range of X-Rays?

3. Mention a few applications of laser.\

RESULT
1. Wavelength of the laser = x 10-10 m

Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 20