TECHNO INDIA GROUP PUBLIC SCHOOL

S.I.T CAMPUS, P.O SUKNA, SILIGURI

PHYSICS INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

2016-17
DETERMINATION OF REFRACTIVE INDICES
OF VARIOUS LIQUIDS USING A HOLLOW
PRISM

Guided by
Mr.BB ROY

Submitted by
ANAL KAR
Class XII

BONA FIDE CERTIFICATE

It is hereby to certify that, the original and genuine
investigation work has been carried out to investigate
about the subject matter and the related data collection
and investigation has been completed solely, sincerely
and satisfactorily done by Partho Pratim Das of Class
XII, Techno India Group Public School, Siliguri, regarding
the project titled, REFRACTIVE INDICES OF
VARIOUS MEDIUMS

Signature of the Guide

Signature

Principals

Submitted for ALL INDIA SENIOR SECONDARY

EXAMINATION held on _____________ at TECHNO INDIA
GROOUP PUBLIC SCHOOL.

Internal Examiner
External Examiner

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The successful completion of any task would be incomplete without
mentioning the names of those persons who helped to make it
possible. I take this opportunity to express my gratitude in few words
and respect to all those who helped me in the completion of this
project.
It is my humble pleasure to acknowledge my deep senses of gratitude
to my Physics teacher, Ms Pooja Saha for her valuable support,
constant help and guidance at each and every stage, without which
this project would not have come forth.
I also register my sense of gratitude to our principal, Mrs. Mira
Bhattacharya, for her immense encouragement that has made this
project successful.
I would also like to thank my friends and family for encouraging me
during the course of this project.
Last, but not the least, I would like to thank CBSE for giving us the
opportunity to undertake this project.

Project Overview
Aim
Apparatus Required
Theory
Procedure
Observations
Conclusions
Precautions

Aim
To find out the refractive indices of different liquids using a hollow
prism

Apparatus Required
Hollow glass prism
Various liquids like water, carbon disulphide, benzaldehyde etc.
Bell pins

 Drawing board

Theory
A prism is a transparent optical element with flat, polished surfaces
that refract light. Prisms can be made from any material that is
transparent including glass, plastic and fluorite. A prism can be used
to break light up into its constituent spectral colors. Prisms can also be
used to reflect light, or to split light into components with different
polarizations.
The refractive index of the liquid Is given by the formula:
U=sini/sinr=sin((a+d)/2)/sin(a/2)
Where,
U=refractive index of the liquid.
a= the angle of minimum deviation
d=angle of prism

i=angle of incidence
r=angle of refraction

Procedure
1. Fix a white sheet of paper on the drawing board with help of
drawing pins.
2. Keep the prism and mark the outline of it as ABC.
3. Drop a normal PQ on the side AB.
4. Draw the angle of incidence in accordance with the normal PQ
and place 2 pins so that they appear to be in the straight line.
5. Place the prism filled with given sample of liquid ,on the
marked outline ABC.
6. Now take the pins and place them on the side AC so that all the
4 pins appear to be in same line.

7. Remove the prism and draw the line joining the points so
obtained.
8. Mark the diagram as shown in the figure.
9. Repeat this with different liquids and different angle of
incidence.

Conclusion
Refractive indices at room temperature:
1. Benzaldehyde
Actual: 1.546
Experimental: 1.504

2. Water
Actual: 1.33
Experimental: 1.306

3. Dil . Sulphuric acid

Actual: 1.355
Experimental: 1.351

Precautions
Angle of incidence should lie b/w 35-60 degree.
Pins should be vertically fixed and should lie in same line.
Distance b/w two points should not be less than 10mm.
Same angle of prism should be used for all observation.
Arrow head should be marked to represent emergent and
incident ray.

Observation
Benzaldehyde
Sl. No
1
2
3
4
5

a (angle of
prism)
60
60
60
60
60

a (angle of
incidence)
30
35
37.5
39
40

d (angle of
deviation)
45
42
40
42
45

U=sin((60+40)/2)/sin(30) = 1.504

Water
Sl. No
1
2
3
4
5
6

a (angle of
prism)
60
60
60
60
60
60

a (angle of
incidence)
30
35
40
45
50
55

d (angle of
deviation)
25
22
20
22
25
28

U=sin((60+22)/2)/sin(30) = 1.306

 Dil. Sulphuric Acid

Sl. No
1
2
3
4
5

a (angle of
prism)
60
60
60
60
60

a (angle of
incidence)
20
30
35
40
45

d (angle of
deviation)
33
30
25
29
30

U=sin((60+25)/2)/sin(30) = 1.351