VELAMMAL VIDHYASHRAM

SURAPET

PHYSICS INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

ON

DETERMINATION OF REFRACTIVE INDEX OF

VARIOUS LIQUIDS USING A HOLLOW PRISM

NAME: BHALA MURUGAN R

CLASS: 12 B6
ROLL NUMBER:

SSCE -2025 -2026

 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that, BHALA MURUGAN of class XII B6 has

successfully completed the project on the topic DETERMINATION OF
REFRACTIVE INDEX OF VARIOUS LIQUIDS USING A HOLLOW
PRISM under the guidance of Ms. SARASU in partial fulfillment of
physics practical examination conducted by SSCE, CBSE, New Delhi
for the academic year 2025 – 2026.

Signature of teacher in charge Signature of Internal Examiner

Signature of Principal Signature of External Examiner

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

In the accomplishment of this project successfully, many people have

bestowed upon me their blessings and the heart pledged support. So I am
utilizing this opportunity to thank all the people who have been concerned
with my project.

Primarily I would like to thank God Almighty for giving me the strength,
knowledge and good health to complete this project successfully.

Then I would like to thank the Principal of Velammal Vidhyashram for

the continuous support and our Physics teacher whose whole hearted
guidance helped me to complete the project. The suggestions and
instructions given by them served as the major contribution in the
completion of this project.

Then I would like to thank my parents and friends who have given me
their valuable suggestions and guidance, that have been instrumental in
the completion of this project.

Signature of the Student

 TABLE OF CONTENT

S NO. TOPICS PAGE NO.

1 Introduction

2 Aim

3 Materials required

4 Theory

5 Procedure

6 Observation

7 Precautions

8 Sources of error

9 Conclusion

10 Bibliography
Introduction
Light undergoes a change in direction when it passes from one medium to another, a
phenomenon known as refraction. This bending of light is a result of the change in speed of light
in different media. The ratio of the speed of light in vacuum to that in a medium is termed the
refractive index of that medium. The refractive index not only characterizes the optical density of
a medium but also serves as a unique property that can be used to identify substances. For
liquids, measuring the refractive index is particularly important in fields such as chemistry,
biology, food science, and materials research. For example, refractometers are widely used in
laboratories and industries to test the purity of liquids like oils, solvents, and pharmaceutical
preparations.

One of the most reliable and classical methods to measure the refractive index of liquids is by
using a hollow prism. A prism is a transparent optical device with flat polished surfaces, usually
triangular in shape, that refracts light. When a hollow prism is filled with a liquid sample, it
behaves like a solid prism made of that liquid. This makes it possible to determine the refractive
index of various liquids using the principle of minimum deviation of light. The angle by which
the light deviates depends upon the refractive index of the liquid inside the prism. By measuring
this deviation carefully and applying the prism formula, we can calculate the refractive index of
liquids with good accuracy.

This experiment is important from both theoretical and practical perspectives. Theoretically, it
demonstrates the application of Snell’s law of refraction and prism geometry to derive a useful
relation between measurable quantities. Practically, it shows how optical instruments can be used
to study and compare properties of materials. It also emphasizes the importance of experimental
accuracy, as small errors in measuring the angle of deviation can significantly affect the
calculated refractive index.

Thus, the study of refractive indices using a hollow prism is a fundamental experiment that
bridges theory and practice in optics.
Uses of Prism
Prisms are versatile optical instruments with a wide range of applications beyond this
experiment:

1. Spectroscopy – Prisms are used to disperse white light into its constituent colors,
enabling the study of spectra. This is essential in chemical analysis and astronomy.

2. Optical instruments – Prisms are used in binoculars, periscopes, and cameras to invert or
revert images and provide correct orientation.

3. Laser optics – Prisms are employed to steer, reflect, or separate beams of light in laser
systems.

4. Measurement of refractive index – Hollow prisms can be filled with liquids to determine
their refractive index accurately.

5. Total internal reflection devices – Some prisms are used to achieve total internal
reflection, providing lossless reflection in optical instruments.

6. Communication technologies – Prisms are applied in fiber optics and optical signal
processing.

Prisms, therefore, not only help in understanding fundamental laws of light but also play an
important role in practical technologies that shape modern science and engineering.
 Experiment

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 device with flat, polished surfaces that refract light. Most
commonly, a prism has a triangular cross-section, and its unique property is the deviation and
dispersion of light when a ray passes through it. In the case of a hollow prism filled with a liquid,
the prism behaves like a solid prism made of that liquid, and therefore the experiment can be
used to determine the refractive index of different liquids.

When light enters from a rarer medium (air) into a denser medium (the liquid inside the prism),
the ray bends towards the normal according to Snell’s law. Upon emerging back into air, the ray
bends away from the normal. This results in an overall angular displacement of the emergent ray
from its original path, known as the angle of deviation (D).

The deviation depends on both the angle of incidence and the refractive index of the liquid. At a
particular incident angle, the deviation reaches a minimum value, called the minimum deviation
position. In this condition, the incident and emergent angles are equal, and the path of the ray
inside the prism is symmetrical. This special case allows for the derivation of the refractive index
formula:

Where:
 μ = Refractive index of the liquid

 A = Angle of the prism

 D = Angle of minimum deviation

This relation provides a very accurate method to calculate the refractive index of a liquid because
it does not depend on the angle of incidence once the condition of minimum deviation is
satisfied. The principle also explains why different liquids show different deviations: a liquid
with a higher refractive index bends light more sharply, thereby producing a greater deviation.
Thus, the hollow prism method gives both qualitative insight into how refraction works and
quantitative results for the refractive indices of various liquids. This makes it an excellent tool
for educational as well as practical optical studies.
Procedure

 Fix a white sheet of paper on the drawing board with help of drawing pins.

 Keep the prism and mark the outline of it as ABC.

 Drop a normal PQ on the side AB.

 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.

 Place the prism filled with given sample of liquid ,on the marked outline ABC.

 Now take the pins and place them on the side AC so that all the 4 pins appear to be
in same line.

 Remove the prism and draw the line joining the points so obtained.

 Mark the diagram as shown in the figure.

 Repeat this with different liquids and different angle of incidence.

Observation

 Benzaldehyde

[Link] a º(angle of prism) i º (angle of incidence) d º (angle of deviation)

1 60 30 45
2 60 35 42
3 60 37.5 40
4 60 39 42
5 60 40 45

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

[Link] a º(angle of prism) i º (angle of incidence) d º (angle of deviation)

1 60 30 25
2 60 35 22
3 60 40 20
4 60 45 22
5 60 50 25
6 60 55 28

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

 Dil. Sulphuric Acid

[Link] a º(angle of prism) i º (angle of incidence) d º (angle of deviation)

1 60 20 33
2 60 30 30
3 60 35 25
4 60 40 29
5 60 45 30

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

Refractive indices at room temperature:

 Benzaldehyde
o Actual: 1.546
o Experimental: 1.504
o
 Water
o Actual: 1.33
o Experimental: 1.306
o
 Dil . Sulphuric acid
o Actual: 1.355
o 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.

Bibliography
 NCERT Physics Textbook
 [Link]
 [Link]