REFRACTION THROUGH GLASS SLAB AND REFRACTIVE INDEX OF THE GLASS SLAB

Refraction is the bending of light as it passes from one medium to another. When light enters a glass slab, it changes speed and direction due to the change in the medium. This phenomenon can be demonstrated by passing a ray of light through a glass slab.

To measure the refractive index of a glass slab, you can use the formula:

Refractive index (n) = sin(i) / sin(r)

Where:
– n is the refractive index
– i is the angle of incidence
– r is the angle of refraction

To measure the angle of incidence and the angle of refraction, you can use a protractor and a set square. Place the glass slab on a piece of paper with a straight line drawn on it. Shine a light ray perpendicular to the glass slab and mark its direction as the angle of incidence. Then, mark the direction of the ray after passing through the glass slab as the angle of refraction.

Repeat this process for different angles of incidence and calculate the refractive index using the formula above. The average of these values will give you the refractive index of the glass slab.

This experiment can help students understand the concept of refraction and how it affects the behavior of light when passing through different media. It also helps them practice their measurement and calculation skills.

Interpretation:

• The refractive index of the glass slab is a measure of how much light is bent when it enters and exits the slab.
• A higher refractive index indicates a greater deviation of light, meaning that light slows down more as it passes through the glass compared to air.

Applications:

• Refraction through glass slabs is a fundamental concept in optics and is used in various optical devices such as lenses, prisms, and optical fibers.
• The refractive index of materials is important in designing optical components and understanding phenomena like total internal reflection and dispersion.

In summary, studying refraction through a glass slab helps in understanding the behavior of light when it passes through different mediums and allows for the determination of the refractive index of the glass material.