Volume 5 (Issue 2) Download

Simple method for Measuring the relative referactive index of a Liquid

H.H. Sumathipala

 

Abstract

A simple method for measuring the relative refractive index of a liquid has been performed using a laser pointer and a Petri dish. The refractive index at ? = 635 nm resulted from the data analysis for water-coconut oil, waterolive oil, and water glycerine are 1.02 ± 0.07, 1.05 ± 0.05, 1.13 ± 0.03, respectively. This simple experiment is suitable as a laboratory experiment for teaching geometrical optics. The measured values are consistent with calculated values using absolute refractive index values reported in the literature.