Newton’s Ring

1 Objective
To determine wavelength of monochromatic sodium light with the help of Newton’s rings ar-
rangement.

2 Apparatus
A plano convex lens of large radius of curvature, a plane glass plate, Sodium lamp, 45◦ inclined
glass plate arrangement, a traveling microscope, reading lens, a lamp and a spherometer.

3 Theory
The Newton’s rings experiment shows the interference of light waves reflected from the surfaces
of a thin film of variable thickness. The two interfering beams are coherent because these are
derived from same light ray. The thin air film is constructed by placing a plano-convex lens
on a glass plate with curved surface touching the glass plate. The gap between glass plate
and curved surface of lens can be considered as a thin wedge shaped air film, see Fig. 1. The
thickness of the air film is zero at the point of contact and gradually increases from the centre
towards outward direction. The experiment produces ring shaped pattern.
A horizontal beam of monochromatic light falls on a glass plate inclined at an angle of 45◦ .
The inclined glass plate partially reflects part of incident light towards the lens. The light
beam incident on lens is further reflected partially from the curved surface of lens and partially
transmitted towards glass plate. The light incident on glass plate again partially reflected. is
further reflected from the thin film between lens and glass plate and then observed from the
microscope placed on the top. The dark and bright circular concentric fringes are seen due to
interference.
The phase difference between beams reflected from a point r distance away from the center
can be calculated as follows:

1
 Eye-piece

e
at
pl
s
as
gl
ed
Light source
in
cl
in
45 ◦

t
Glass Plate
r

Figure 1: Schematic for Newton’s ring arrangement. A thin film is made between curved surface
of lens and top surface of glass plate. The light after reflecting from thin film produces ring
like pattern, when viewed through eyepiece.

Phase difference = phase difference due to additional path traveled by one of the beam
+ phase difference generated due to reflection from denser medium
2π
= (additional path traveled by one of the beam) + π
λ
2π
≈ (2t) + π
λ
4π  p
2 2

= R − (R − r ) + π
λ
1/2 !
r2

4πR
= 1− 1− 2 +π
λ R
r2
  
4πR
≈ 1− 1− +π
λ 2R2
2πr2
= +π (1)
λR
Here phase difference due to reflection is taken π because the beam reflected from horizontal
glass surface gets a phase difference of π. In order to get bright rings, we must have constructive
interference, i.e., phase difference between two reflected beam must be 0, ±2π, ±4π, . . . , ±2nπ.

2
For dark ring, the phase difference must be ±π, ±3π, ±5π, . . . For n-th bright/dark ring, we
have
For bright ring
For dark ring
2πrn2
2nπ = +π 2πrn2
λR  (2n + 1)π = +π
λR
1
Therefore rn2 = n − λR Therefore rn2 = nλR
2 2
2 Dn+p − Dn2
Dn+p − Dn2 or λ = (3)
or λ = (2) 4pR
4pR
Note that Dn = 2rn

4 Procedure
• Switch on the source of light.

• Determine the least count of the traveling microscope.

• Clean the glass plate and the lens surface and place the curved surface of the lens over
the glass plate and below the 45◦ inclined glass plate.

• Move the microscope in the vertical direction to focus the Ramsden’eye piece of the
microscope on its cross wire so that well distinct bright and dark fringes are seen. Set the
cross wire at the central dark ring. Adjust the cross wire so that on of them is parallel
to the direction of movement of the microscope.

• Rotate the right hand knob of the microscope so that the cross wire shifts towards left
side, go on counting the bright rings till it reaches 22nd bright (or dark) ring.

• In order to calculate diameter of a ring with inner and outer boundary, we should measure
the separation between A and B (centers of shaded region on either side) as shown in the
following figure.

A B
C D

Instead, we measure the separation between C and D, i.e., outer boundary on one side
and inner boundary on the other side. Since intensity changes rapidly at C and D it is
much easier to locate C and D than to locate A and B.

• Now rotate slowly the knob in the reverse direction and record the observations when the
cross wire is tangential at the outer surface of 20th , 18th , 16th , . . . , 8th , 6th , 4th bright (or
dark) ring.

• Further rotate the knob so that cross wire reaches the center and on further rotating it
touch the inner surface of 4th ring. No need to note down any value in this step.

• Now note down the micrometer reading for inner surface of 4th , 6th , . . . , 18th , 20th bright
(or dark) ring.

3
5 Observations
2
Determination of Dn+p − Dn2 :
Least count of traveling microscope: . . .
Value of p: Choose p such that the range n to n + p cover approx 50% of noted data. For
example, if lowest and highest order of ring is 4 and 20 then suitable value of p ≈ 8.
2
Order Reading for the inner Reading for outer Diameter Dn+p
of the surface of left side of the surface of right side of - Dn2
ring ring the ring D2 Mean
n
(n) Main Vernier Total Main Vernier Total |xl -xr |
Scale Scale (xl ) Scale Scale (xr )
20 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
18 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
16 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
14 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
12 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
10 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
08 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
06 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
04 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Determination of radius of curvature, R:
Radius of curvature is measured using spherometer. The expression for radius of curvature is
given by
a2 h
R= + , (4)
6h 2
where a represents the gap between the lags of the spherometer and h represents the distance
moved by the central screw when it touches the curved surface of plano-convex lens.

6 Calculations
Calculate the wavelength from two methods: (1) Use Eq. (3), (2) Plot a graph between Dn2 and
n. The plot should be a straight line with its slope equal to 4λR. Calculate λ from graph also.

7 Result
The wavelength of sodium light is . . .

8 Precautions
Notice that as you go away from the central dark spot the fringe width decreases. In order
to minimize the errors in measurement of the diameter of the rings the following precautions
should be taken:

1. The microscope should be parallel to the edge of the glass plate.

2. If you place the cross wire tangential to the outer side of a ring on one side of the central
spot then the cross wire should be placed tangential to the inner side of the same numbered
ring on the other side of the central spot.

4
3. The traveling microscope should move only in one direction.