Lab# 11 Date: 12/12/14

Title: Refraction of Light

Aim: To investigate the relationship between the angle of incidence and

the corresponding angles of refraction for glass.

Apparatus/Materials: Rectangular glass block, ruler, paper, protractor, 4

optical pins, pencil, 4 tacks, pencil, optical board

Diagram

Procedure

1. Tack the paper onto the optical board. Place the glass block in the
centre of the paper and draw an outline of it in pencil.
2. Use a protractor to draw in a normal on the middle of the long side
of the glass block. Label the intersection of the normal and the glass
block as point O.
3. Use the protractor to measure out and draw in angles of incidence,
i , of 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60. Extend the line to the edge of

the paper.
 P1 P2 P1
4. On the 10 line, place two pins and upright, so that is
P2
as close to the block as possible and is as close to the edge of
the paper as possible.
P1 P2
5. Looking through the glass block at the images of and , turn
P2
your head in a position where the image of is directly behind
P1 P3
the image of . Place a pin close to the block so that it
P1
appears to be in line with the images of and P2 .
P4
6. Place a fourth pin close to the edge of the page, so that it is in
line with P3 and the images of P1
and P2 .
P3
7. Remove the pins and place an X over the holes for pins and
P4
that have the correct alignment. Remove the block as well.
8. Draw a line through the pinholes and extend it back to the glass
block (point R). This represents the emergent ray.
9. By connecting point O to point R, draw in the refracted ray. Draw
arrows on the incident and emergent rays, indicating the direction in
which light is travelling. Use a protractor to measure the angle of
r , and record r
refraction, and its corresponding angle of
incidence, i .
10. Repeat the procedure for the other angle of incidence drawn.
11. Plot a graph of sini against sin r .

Results
Table showing the angle of incidence, angle of refraction, the sine of
the angle of incidence and the sine of the angle of refraction.
Angle of Angle of Sin i Sin r
Incidence/ refraction /
deg. deg.
10 8 0.174 0.139
20 13 0.342 0.225
 30 19 0.500 0.326
40 26 0.643 0.438
50 31 0.766 0.515
60 35 0.866 0.574

Calculations:

1. Gradient of the graph = y2-y1 / x2-x1

= 0.92-0.19/ 0.62-0.13

= 0.73/0.49

=1.47 = 1.5

2. Theta i = 37.5 when Theta r = 25

3. Sine of Critical angle = 1/ refractive index

Refractive index = 1.5

1/1.5 = 0.63
Critical angle := Sin-1 0.63 = 44.1 deg.

Discussion :

Refraction is the bending or change in direction of light due its change in transmission
medium.