Adil Sidan

EP3291 - EP LAB – IV EP20B003

Lab Report
Exp 5: Using a Michelson Interferometer to Measure
Coefficient of Thermal Expansion of Metals.
AIM :
To Measure Coefficient of Thermal Expansion of Metals (Copper, Aluminium and Bronze)
using a Michelson Interferometer.
APPARATUS:
Michelson Interferometer Setup, He – Ne Laser, beam splitter, copper, aluminium and
bronze rods, camera setup, mirrors, lens, and a screen.
THEORY:
In a Michelson interferometer, collimated light is directed at a beam splitter. The
resultant two beams of equal amplitude are reflected by mirrors approximately equidistant
from the beam splitter. These two beams recombine at the beam splitter, where they
interfere. Optical interference occurs when the optical wave fields either cancel or reinforce.
The interference pattern consists of either circular or parallel fringes, depending on the
orientation of the beams.
Figure in next page shows the actual interference fringes observed during the
experiment. They were expanded with a lens, projected onto a screen, and then
photographed with a digital camera. Destructive interference (cancellation) takes place at
the dark fringes while constructive interference (reinforcement) takes place at the bright
fringes. Alternate dark or bright fringes correspond to a phase difference of 2π. This, in turn,
corresponds to a one-wavelength difference in path length between the two arms of the
interferometer. When one of the mirrors is moved in the direction of the beam it reflects,
the path length changes and the image shows a shift in interference fringes.
The linear expansion of copper is typically expressed as a constant given by α,
𝛼=
such that 𝐿 is the initial length (prior to heating), ΔT is the change in temperature, and ΔL is
the change in length. The change in length can be expressed as a number of wavelengths as
∆𝐿 =
where n is the number of fringe shifts and λ is the wavelength of the laser light. A factor of 2
resides in the denominator because when the mirror moves a distance x, the path length
changes by a distance 2x.
Combining both Eqs., we get
𝛼=

Thus, the linear coefficient of thermal expansion α can be calculated from just a few
measurable variables: the wavelength of the laser light, the number of fringe shifts, the
initial pipe length, and the change in temperature.
DIAGRAMS /IMAGES:

BLOCK DIAGRAM FOR EXPERIMENTAL SETUP EXPERIMENTAL ARRANGEMENT

INTERFERENCE FRINGES OBTAINED RECORDING SCREEN

PROCEDURE:
 Arrange the apparatus as per the setup diagram and switch on the camera and laser.
 The laser beams are directed towards the beam splitter and then the two waves are
directed towards two different mirrors (one movable and one fixed). After respective
reflections, they recombine at the beam splitter again to interfere giving rise to
circular fringes which can be seen on the screen. The interference can either be
constructive or destructive based on them reinforcing or cancelling out.
 A metal pipe (say Bronze) is attached to a movable mirror, clamped at one end and
free at other. Now, as temperature increases, the metal pipe expands giving rise to a
movement in mirror thereby changing the fringe pattern. So as the path length
changes, the dark fringe becomes a bright fringe and then dark again, undergoing one
cycle change.
 Now we count the number of such fringe changes and then through that find out the
coefficient of expansion.
OBSERVATIONS:
 The initial lengths of the rods are:
Aluminium : 3 cm
Copper : 5 cm
Bronze : 3 cm
 Wavelength of the He – Ne laser is 650 nm.
 No. of fringes seen per unit temperature:
 For Aluminium:
Increasing Temperature Decreasing Temperature

Temperature (°C) No. of fringes Temperature (°C) No. of fringes

28 - 29 5 42 - 41 4
29 - 30 3 41 - 40 3
30 - 31 3 40 - 39 2
31 - 32 2 39 - 38 2
32 - 33 2 38 - 37 2
33 - 34 1 37 - 36 2
34 - 35 2 36 - 35 2
35 - 36 3 35 - 34 3
36 - 37 3 34 - 33 3
37 - 38 3 33 - 32 2
38 - 39 4 32 - 31 2
39 - 40 4 31 - 30 1
40 - 41 3 30 - 29 2
41 - 42 3 29 - 28 2

 For Copper:
Increasing Temperature Decreasing Temperature

Temperature (°C) No. of fringes Temperature (°C) No. of fringes

28 - 29 5 38 - 37 16

29 - 30 2 37 - 36 2

30 - 31 1 36 - 35 2

31 - 32 1 35 - 34 3

32 - 33 1 34 - 33 3

33 - 34 1 33 - 32 4

34 - 35 2 32 - 31 4

35 - 36 2 31 - 30 3

36 - 37 4 30 - 29 2

37 - 38 1 29 - 28 2
  For Bronze:
Increasing Temperature Decreasing Temperature
Temperature (°C) No. of fringes Temperature (°C) No. of fringes
27 - 28 6 39 - 38 8
28 - 29 4 38 - 37 5
29 - 30 3 37 - 36 2
30 - 31 2 36 - 35 1
31 - 32 2 35 - 34 1
32 - 33 2 34 - 33 1
33 - 34 2 33 - 32 1
34 - 35 2 32 - 31 1
35 - 36 3 31 - 30 1
36 - 37 2 30 - 29 1
37 - 38 3 29 - 28 1
38 - 39 2 28 - 27 1
39 - 40 2
40 - 41 2
41 - 42 3

GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION:
*(Here ‘Total no of fringes seen at particular temperature’ plots are drawn by adding all the previous values
of fringes at that temperature i.e., for example for bronze in increasing temp., number fringes seen at 31°C
is 6+4+3+2=15)

1. Aluminium.
Increasing Temperature:
  Linear fit = -72.7418 + 2.6967x
 Slope is 2.6967

Decreasing Temperature:
  Linear fit = 94.5659 – 2.1692x
 Slope is 2.1692

2. Copper.
Increasing Temperature:
  Linear fit = -41.7 + 1.6182x
 Slope is 1.6182

Decreasing Temperature:
  Linear fit = 127.2 – 2.9939x
 Slope is 2.9939

3. Bronze.
Increasing Temperature:
  Linear fit = -56.1196 + 2.3107x
 Slope is 2.3107

Decreasing Temperature:
  Linear fit = 58. 3846 – 1.2238
 Slope is 1.2238

CALCULATIONS:

 The value is calculated from the graphs (slope) using linear fits, and the values
are:
n/T (1/°C) value (slope)
Metal Increasing T Decreasing T
Aluminium 2.6967 2.1692
Copper 1.6182 2.9939
Bronze 2.3107 1.2238

 We can find the coefficient of expansion for these metals using the slope of n vs T
graph we have plotted using the equation,

𝛼=

o Aluminium:
Increasing temperature,
. × ×
𝛼= = 2.9214 × 10 °𝐶
× ×
Decreasing temperature,
. × ×
𝛼= = 2.3499 × 10 °𝐶
× ×

o Copper:
Increasing temperature,
. × ×
𝛼= = 1.0518 × 10 °𝐶
× ×

Decreasing temperature,
. × ×
𝛼= = 1.9460 × 10 °𝐶
× ×

o Bronze:
Increasing temperature,
. × ×
𝛼= = 2.5032 × 10 °𝐶
× ×

Decreasing temperature,
. × ×
𝛼= = 1.3257 × 10 °𝐶
× ×

 (/°C)
Metal Increasing T Decreasing T
Aluminium 2.9214 × 10 °𝐶 2.3499 × 10 °𝐶

Copper 1.0518 × 10 °𝐶 1.9460 × 10 °𝐶

Bronze 2.5032 × 10 °𝐶 1.3257 × 10 °𝐶

 Further, average of Increasing T and decreasing T is taken to calculate  i.e.,

. × . ×
Aluminium, 𝛼= = 2.6356 × 10 °𝐶
. × . ×
Copper, 𝛼= = 1.4989 × 10 °𝐶
. × . ×
Bronze, 𝛼= = 1.9244 × 10 °𝐶
ERROR ANALYSIS:
We’ve observed the error in measuring temperature to be 1 °C.
Temperature is observed mainly across 28 – 40 °C ; average is 34 °C.
∆
⟹ = = 0.0294

We have, 𝛼=
∆ ∆
⟹ = = 0.0294

The value of ∆𝛼 ,
Aluminium : ∆𝛼 = 0.0294 × 2.6356 × 10 = 0.0775 × 10 °𝐶
Copper : ∆𝛼 = 0.0294 × 1.4989 × 10 = 0.0440 × 10 °𝐶
Bronze : ∆𝛼 = 0.0294 × 1.9244 × 10 = 0.0566 × 10 °𝐶

RESULT AND CONCLUSION:

 The thermal expansion coefficient of Aluminium is ( 2.6356 ± 0.0775 ) × 𝟏𝟎 𝟓 °𝑪 𝟏 .
 The thermal expansion coefficient of Copper is ( 1.4989 ± 0.0440 ) × 𝟏𝟎 𝟓 °𝑪 𝟏 .
 The thermal expansion coefficient of Bronze is ( 1.9244 ± 0.0566 ) × 𝟏𝟎 𝟓 °𝑪 𝟏 .
 By plotting the graph of number of fringes vs temperature ,and calculating the slope
of the graph where the graph is linear, we can find of the temperature coefficient of
various metals.
 The fringes in Michelson Interferometer are circular, because the light waves have a
spherical wavefront and when this is projected on the screen, we observe circular
fringes. Hence the distance between the source and projected plane is shortest at the
centre of the circular fringe and the path difference increases as we move away from
the centre.