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Experiment No.1 - Newtons Rings

The document outlines the procedure for conducting Newton's ring experiment to determine the wavelength of monochromatic light using a sodium vapor lamp and a plano-convex lens. It details the theory behind the formation of interference fringes, the experimental setup, and the steps for measurement and calculation of results. Additionally, it includes observations, calculations for the radius of curvature, and precautions to minimize errors during the experiment.

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tanvi00027
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8 views4 pages

Experiment No.1 - Newtons Rings

The document outlines the procedure for conducting Newton's ring experiment to determine the wavelength of monochromatic light using a sodium vapor lamp and a plano-convex lens. It details the theory behind the formation of interference fringes, the experimental setup, and the steps for measurement and calculation of results. Additionally, it includes observations, calculations for the radius of curvature, and precautions to minimize errors during the experiment.

Uploaded by

tanvi00027
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Experiment No.

1 (E1)

Newton’s ring experiment


AIM:

1. To determine the wavelength of monochromatic light (sodium light) using Newton’s ring.

Apparatus : Sodium vapor lamp, Plano-convex lens of large radius of curvature, plane glass
plate, travelling microscope etc.

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 L1 of short focal length and made to fall on
an optically plane glass plate inclined at an angle of 45º to the vertical, where it gets
reflected on to the Plano-convex lens L2 as shown in Fig.1.
 Interference takes place between the rays of light reflected from the upper and the lower
surface of the wedge shaped air film enclosed between lens L2 and glass plate P and circular
interference fringes (alternate dark and bright) called Newton’s ring 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 of π 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 travelling microscope ‘M’ as shown in Fig.
1.
 The fringes are circular due to the fact that air film is symmetrical about the point of contact.
The locus of all the point 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,

λ= wavelength of monochromatic source of light used

then, Dn2 = 4nR λ ….(1)

Dm2 = 4mR λ ….(2)

From eqn (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)R. Therefore Diameter of the ring depends upon the wavelength of light used.

If white light is used in place of monochromatic light, a few coloured rings are observed. Each
color give 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.

Experimental 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 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 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 wires lies tangentially at the extreme ends of horizontal diameter
of 16th , 12th , 8th and 4th dark ring respectively.
9. Continue sliding the microscope backwards 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.
11. Remove the Plano-convex lens L2 and find the radius of curvature of its convex surface by
using a spherometer
The radius of curvature may also be determined by plotting a graph between Dn2 along
Y-axis and the number of the ring (n) along X-axis as explained in part-2 of the
experiment.

Observations : Pitch of the micrometer scale = 0.1 cm

Least count = Pitch/100 = 0.001cm

Ring No. Microscope reading Diameter Mean


diameter
Left(a)cm Right (b)cm = (a-b)or(b-a)
20
16
12
8
4

Note : Microscope reading = main scale reading + circular scale division × least count.

Radius of curvature of surface of plano-convex lens in contact with the glass plate

Pitch of spherometer = distance moved on mm scale/no. of rotations = 0.1 cm

Least count = pitch/no. of divisions on circular scale = 0.001


Distance between the tips of two legs of spherometer.

1. L1 = 4.5cm 2. L2 = 4.5cm 3. L3 = 4.5cm

Mean L = (L1+ L2+ L3)/3 = 4.5cm

S.No. Spherometer Reading on n = (a-b) if a>b


or
Convex surface Plane surface (b) cm = (100+a-b) if a<b
(a) cm
1.
2.
3.

Mean n = (in cm)

h = n×LC

Calculations & results:

1. Radius of curvature of convex surface :


R = L2/6h+h/2

2. Wavelength : (i)
(ii)
(iii)
Mean(λ)

Percentage error = (calculated value-exact value)/exact value×100.

Precautions

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 wire 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.

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