EXPERIMENT NO.

the refractive index of a glass slab using a travelling

Alhf: To determine
microscope.

APPARATUS REQUIRED
A travellingmicroscope,a parallel sided glass slab, a white paper sheet,
powder,a small and smooth woodenblock and a spirit level.
 195
DESCRIPTION OF TRAVELLING MICROSCOPE
The travelling microscope is
basicallya compound microscope
mountedon a stout metallic platform
provided with levelling screws. This
compound microscope can be moved
alongvertical as well as horizontal axis
due to which it is called a travelling
microscope.

It consists of two systems of

converging lens namely eye piece E and
objectiveO. The eye piece is of large
focallength and of large aperture while
the objectis of small focal length and of
small aperture.
The eye piece and the objective are
fittedin two separate tubes which can
be madeto slide one into the other tube
by means of rack and pinion
arrangement R as shown in figure Fig. 8.10
8.10.

It is providedwith a cross-wirein front of eye-piecewhich serves as a referencemark.

Theimage of an object placed before the objective lens is seen through the eye-piece. The
finalimage which is obtained by microscope will be magnified, inverted and virtual.
The screws H and V are used to move the microscope along horizontal and vertical axis
respectivelywhile the screws H' and V' are used for-fineadjustment of the microscope.
Thescrews H' and V' work only when screws H and V are tightened.The observationsof
travellingmicroscope over the horizontal or vertical scale can be noted accurately with the
helpof the separate vernier scales moving over them.

THEORY

appears to be
An Objectwhich is placed in a denser medium, viewedfrom a rarer medium
at a lesserdepth refraction of light.
than the actual depth of the object due to
to rarer
In this case, the refractive index of denser medium (say glass) with respect
medium(say air) is defined as the ratio of the real depth to the apparent depth.

i.e., the Real depth ...(i)

refractive index, a g ¯ Apparentdepth
 Let RI, R2 and R3 be the observations of the travelling microscope focused on
placed on a platform without the glass slab, with the glass slab placed an
on the object object
and
Then, the real depth

and the apparent depth

The refractive index,

...(ii)
 For R3

For R2

For RI
 OBSERVATIONS

1. For the least count of the travelling microscope: As the total numberof divisions
on vernier scale = Now, 10+vernier divisions coincide with 9"main scale divisions.
50 50
1 vernier division — main scale division.
The least count (or the vernier constant)
= 1 main scale division —1 vernier scale division

= 1 M.S.D - M.S.D

1
M.S.D

1
Since 1 M.S.D cm
= 29
1 1 1
The least count ----x cm = cm =
1000
 Total Mean
Vernier scale Reading
S.N0. Main scale reading value
Miscroscope reading (a) Veriner
(in cm)
focused on (in cm) Numberof scale
(a + b L.C.)
vernier (in cm)
divisions division
(b)
(b)
x L.C.
b x L.C.

1.
The cross mark with
2.
out glass slab
3.
i.e., RI
1.
The crossmark
2.
with glass slab
3.
i.e., R2
1.
The
on the glass 2.

slab i.e., R3 3.4

( x ) = R3 RI
1. The real depth of the cross mark
mark ( x ) = R3 —R2
2. The apparent depth of the cross
respect to air
The refractiveindex of glass slab with
R3-RI
a g = R3 —R2

RESULT
index of the glass slab by using travelling microscope is
The value of refractive

PRECAUTIONS
I. The axis of the microscopetube should be exactly vertical.
should
2. Parallax error while taking observation of the position of microscope tube
be avoided.
3. The travelling microscopeshould be levelled properly.
4. Sprinkle only a very fine layer of lycopodium powder.
5. After taking first observation,rack and pinion arrangement should not be used
6. Observationshould be taken carefully.
7. The screws should be turned in one direction only to avoid backlash error.
SOURCES OF ERROR
1, fl'he axis of the nnicroscopetube nury not be exactly vertical.
2. The t.ravelling tnieroseope may not be levelled properly.
tuny be in taking observatioinsdue careless experimenter.