Date:

Experiment Number:
Aim: To determine refractive index of a glass slab using a
travelling microscope.

Apparatus Required: Travelling microscope, rectangular glass

slab, lycopodium powder.

Theory:
𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝐷𝑒𝑝𝑡ℎ
Refractive index =
𝐴𝑝𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝐷𝑒𝑝𝑡ℎ
Here,
𝑅3 −𝑅1
µg =
𝑅3 −𝑅2
Where,
R1 , R2 and R3 are the observations of travelling microscope
focused on an ink mark, without glass slab, with glass slab and
with lycopodium powder on glass slab respectively.

Diagram:
Observations:
Range of scale on travelling microscope = 0 cm to 20 cm
Least count of scale on travelling microscope = 0.001 cm

Observation Table:

Reading Of Microscope Focussed On Real Apparent µg

Cross Mark Cross Mark With Powder sprinkled Depth Depth
S.No. Without Slab Slab placed on it on top of slab =
MSR VSR R1= MSR VSR R2= MSR VSR R3= = = 𝑹𝟑 −𝑹𝟏
(a1) (b1) a1+b1 (a2) (b2) a2+b2 (a3) (b3) a3+b3 R3-R1 R3-R2
𝑹𝟑 −𝑹𝟐
cm X cm X cm X
L.C. L.C. L.C. cm cm
cm cm cm
1. 0.8 96 0.896 1.4 23 1.423 2.6 34 2.634 1.738 1.211 1.435
2. 2.2 67 2.267 2.8 46 2.846 4.1 75 4.175 1.908 1.329 1.435
3. 3.2 56 3.256 3.7 38 3.738 5.0 84 5.084 1.828 1.346 1.358

Calculations:
µ1+µ2+µ3
µg=
3

1.435+1.435 +1.358
µg =
3
4.228
µg = 3
µg = 1.409

Result: Refractive index of given glass slab = 1.409

Sources of errors:
1. The axis of the microscope tube may not be vertical.
2. The travelling microscope may not be levelled properly.
3. Error may be in taking observations due to carelessness
of experimenter.

Precautions:
1. The axis of the microscope tube should be exactly
vertical.
2. The travelling microscope should be levelled properly.
3. Sprinkle only a fine layer of lycopodium powder.