Interference

with
Newton’s ring
 Interference with Newton’s ring

Objective:
To determine the wavelength of monochromatic light (sodium light) using Newton's
rings.

Appratus:
Travelling Microscope, Sodium Lamp, Moving collimator, Circular glass plate, Plano
convex lens, inclined glass plate and Circular scale

Theory:
A Plano-convex lens is placed with its convex surface on the optically plane glass plate so
as to enclose a thin film of air of varying thickness between the lens and the plate. Light
from an extended monochromatic source (i.e. sodium lamp) of light is converted into a
parallel beam of light by using a convex lens L1of short focal length and made to fall on an
optically plane glass plate inclined at an angle of 45° to the vertical, where it gets
reflected on to the Plano-convex lens L2, as shown in Fig.1

In practice
you look
through a
microscope

Observing Newton’s
rings

Partly reflecting


glass sheet

Supplementary
condenser lens Lens tiny
gap
Optical flat black
card

Figure 1

Interference takes place between the rays of light reflected from the upper and the lower
surfaces of the wedge shaped air film enclosed between lens L2, and glass plate P and
circular interference fringes (alternate dark & bright) called Newton's rings are produced
as shown in Fig.2

The center will be dark because at the center, lens is in contact with the glass plate and
thickness of air film at the center is zero. By Stoke's law a phase change (or path
difference of Fig.2) takes place due to reflection at the lower surface of the air film (Fig. 3)
as the ray of light passes from rarer to denser medium. As we proceed outwards from the
center, the thickness of the air film gradually increases being the same all along the circle
with the center at the point of contact. Thus the fringes produced are concentric circles
and localized in the air film. The fringes can be viewed by means of a low power traveling
microscope 'M' as shown in Fig.1

Figure 2 Figure 3

The fringes are circular due to the fact that air film is symmetrical about the point of
contact. The locus of all the points at same thickness is a circle i.e. all the points where the
air film has a given thickness lie on a circle whose center is at 'O'
Let 'R' be the radius of curvature of the surface of plano-convex lens in contact with the
glass plate P,

Dn = diameter of the nth dark ring

λ = Wavelength of monochromatic source of light used then,
Dn2 = 4nRλ

It may be pointed out that surfaces of the lens and the plate may not be clean and the lens
may not be perfect contact with the glass plate at the center. Then the center will not be
dark. To eliminate the error due to this problem, the diameter of any two dark rings say,
nth and mth may be determined.

Therefore,
Dn2 = 4nRλ…………………………………….(1)
Dm2 = 4mRλ……………………………………(2)

From equations (1) and (2), we get

λ = (Dn2 – Dm2) / 4(n-m) R………………….....(3)

since, this formula involves the difference of the squares of the diameters of two rings
and is independent of the thickness of the air film at the point of contact 'O', the above
error is minimized.
If the measurements are made on bright rings of the diameter of nth bright ring is given
by Dn2 = 2(2n+1)Rλ
Therefore Diameter of the ring depends upon the wavelength of light used.
If white tight is used in place of monochromatic light, a few colored rings are observed.
Each color gives rise to its own system of rings. These colored rings soon superimpose
and overlap thereby resulting in almost uniform illumination after a few rings.
If a plane mirror is placed in place of glass plate below the plano-convex lens, a uniform
illumination is observed as whole of light gets reflected from the mirror.

Procedure:
1. Find the least count of micrometer
scale.
2. Clean the surface of glass plate 'G',
glass plate 'P' and the Plano-convex
lens L2 .Put them in position as
shown in Fig.1 in front of the sodium
lamp.
3. Switch on the sodium lamp and see
that only parallel beam of light
coming from the convex lens falls on
the glass plate 'G'
4. Adjust the position of the microscope
so that it lies vertically above the
center of the lens L2. Focus the
microscope so that alternate dark
and bright rings are clearly visible.
5. Adjust the position of the microscope
till the point of intersection of the
cross-wires coincides with the center
of the ring system and one of the vertical cross-wires is perpendicular to the horizontal
scale.
6. Move the microscope to the left with the help of micrometer screw so that the vertical
cross wire lies tangentially at one of the extreme ends of the 20th dark ring.
7. Note the reading of the micrometer scale of the microscope.
8. Slide the microscope backward with the help of micrometer screw and go on noting
the readings when the cross wire lies tangentially at the extreme ends of horizontal
diameter of 16th, 12th, 8th and 4th dark rings respectively.
9. Continue sliding the microscope to the right and note the readings when the vertical
cross wires lies tangentially at the other extreme end of the diameter of 4th, 8th, 16th
and 20th dark rings respectively.
10. Now slide the microscope backwards and again note down the readings
corresponding to the same rings on the right and then on the left to the center of the
ring system.
Observations:

Pitch of the micrometer scale = 0.1 cm

Least Count = Pitch / 100 = 0.001 cm

Observation Table:

Ring No. Microscope Reading Diameter Microscope Reading Diameter Mean

Left (a) Right (b) =(a-b) or Left (c) Right (d) =(c-d) or Diameter
cm cm =(b-a) cm cm =(d-c) cm cm
cm
20
16
12
8
4

*Microscope reading = main scale reading +circular scale division ×Least count

Radius of curvature of convex surface: 75.761cm

CALCULATIONS & RESULTS:

Wavelength:

a. D202 – D122 = x
λ1 = x/4(20-12) R

b. D162 – D82 = y
λ2 = y/4(16-8) R

c. D122 – D42 = z
λ3 = z/4(12-4) R

Mean λ = (λ1 + λ2 + λ3)/3

Observed value − Actual value

Percentage error = X 100 %
Actual value
Where actual value is = 5.893 ×10-5 cm
PRECAUTIONS/CHECK POINTS

1. The plano-convex lens and the glass plate must be clean.

2. A plano-convex lens of large radius of curvature should be used.
3. The point of intersection of the cross wires should be made to coincide with the
center of the ring system.
4. To avoid error due to back lash, the micrometer screw must be moved always in
the same direction.
5. Radius of curvature of plano-convex lens should be measured accurately.
6. To minimize general illumination and to get a good contrast of the rings, the light
coming from the source should be properly adjusted.

VIVA - VOCE QUESTIONS

1. What happens if the light rays are incident obliquely instead of normal incidence?
2. What will happen if a plane mirror is placed in place of a glass plate in Newton's
rings experiment?
3. If white light is used in place of monochromatic light, how are Newton's rings
affected?
4. Why the fringes obtained are circular and concentric?
5. Why is the center of circular fringes dark?
6. How are the fringes formed?
7. What will happen if a transparent liquid in Newton's rings experiment replaces air
in the inter space?
8. Newton's rings are broader near the center and sharper towards the edge. Why?
9. What is the cause of formation of Newton's rings?
10. Can you get straight fringes in Newton's rings experiment?