AIM OF THE EXPERIMENT: To determine the refractive index of a glass slab, using a travelling

microscope.

APPARATUS REQUIRED: 1. A travelling microscope

2. A rectangular glass slab
3. Licopodium powder,
4. Geometry instruments box.

THEORY: The refractive index of the given glass slab is given by the formula

Real depth

Apparentde pth

Where,

Real depth (R.D) is the distance of the object from the interface of the two media.

Apparent depth (A.D) is the distance of the refracted image from the interface of the two media.

If R1, R2 and R3 are respectively the reading of travelling microscope for focusing the mark on its
base, focusing the refracted image on the mark after placing the glass slab over the mark and the
reading of the travelling microscope on the Licopodium powder placed on the top surface of the
glass slab.

The refractive index of the glass slab is given as

R3  R1

R3  R 2

Diagram:
PROCEDURE:

1. The base of travelling microscope was made perfectly horizontal by adjusting the travelling screws and
the spirit level.
2. The travelling microscope was focused on the mark made on the base of it and its reading was noted as
R1 .
3. A glass slab was placed on the mark and the refracted image of the mark was focused by raising the
travelling microscope without adjusting it. This reading was marked as R2.
4. Some Licopodium powder was sprinkled on the top surface of the glass slab and it was focused by the
travelling microscope only by raising it. This reading was marked as R3.
5. The above process was repeated two more times and all the results were neatly tabulated.
6. Using the formula stated in the theory, the refractive index of glass slab was calculated.

TABULATION:

No. Real Apparent Refractive

of thickness thickness index
Obs
(R3-R1) (R3-R2) R3  R1
Reading on vertical scale when microscope is focused on <in cm> <in cm> 
. R3  R 2

Dot-mark without glass Dot-mark with glass slab Licopodium powder

slab R2 R3
R1 <in cm> <in cm>
<in cm>

MSR VC VSR Total MSR VC VSR Total MSR VC VSR Total

1 5.2 42 0.042 5.242 5.9 40 0.040 5.940 7.2 35 0.035 7.235 1.993 1.295 1.53

2 5.5 36 0.036 5.536 6.2 34 0.034 6.234 7.5 31 0.031 7.531 1.995 1.297 1.53

3 6.1 34 0.034 6.134 6.7 31 0.031 6.731 7.9 26 0.026 7.926 1.792 1.195 1.49

CALCULATION:

Determination least count of travelling microscope

By coinciding the zero mark of the vernier scale with any mark of the main scale it was found that

50 VSD = 49 MSD

49
1 VSD = MSD
50

So,

L.C = 1 MSD – 1 VSD

 49
= 1 MSD - MSD
50

50  49
 MSD
50

1
 MSD
50

1
But, 1 MSD = cm
20

1 1
Therefore, L.C = x cm
50 20

1
= cm
1000

 L.C  0.001 cm

So, the refractive index of the glass slab is

1.53  1.53  1.49


3

   1.52

SOURCES OF ERROR:

1. The base of the Travelling microscope may not be perfectly horizontal. In such case the depth
measured will not be the vertical distances.

PRECAUTION:

1. During the taking of the reading the microscope has to be raised and care should be taken not to
refocus it.

INFERENCE: Within the limits of experimental error, the refractive index of the glass slab was found to be
1.52.