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Department of Chemistry: Rawalpindi Women University

The document is a lab report that details an experiment to determine the percentage composition of a sample mixture using refractive index measurements. It provides background on refractive index and how Abbe's refractometer works. The experiment involves measuring the refractive indices of mixtures of known percentages of water and ethanol, plotting a calibration curve, and using it to determine the composition of an unknown sample. The results show the unknown sample has a refractive index that corresponds to a composition of 60% water and 40% ethanol.

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108 views

Department of Chemistry: Rawalpindi Women University

The document is a lab report that details an experiment to determine the percentage composition of a sample mixture using refractive index measurements. It provides background on refractive index and how Abbe's refractometer works. The experiment involves measuring the refractive indices of mixtures of known percentages of water and ethanol, plotting a calibration curve, and using it to determine the composition of an unknown sample. The results show the unknown sample has a refractive index that corresponds to a composition of 60% water and 40% ethanol.

Uploaded by

Lectures On-line
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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RAWALPINDI WOMEN UNIVERSITY

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY

LAB REPORT # 5

Group Members Roll no. of Group Members


Saba Ejaz 1910142077
Ayesha Tasneem 1910142073
Khola Ashfaq 1910142001
Sania Iftikhar 1910142083
Maryam Siddiq 1910142084

PRACTICAL # 5: Determine the percentage composition of a sample mixture by refractive


index method.
THEORY:
Refractive Index: In optics, the refractive index or index of refraction of a material is a
dimensionless number that describes how fast light travels through the material. It is defined as:
n= c/v
Where c is the speed of light in vacuum
v is the phase velocity of light in the medium
Refractometer: A refractometer is a laboratory device which is used for the measurement of an
index of refraction(refractometery). The index of refraction is calculated from Snell's law while
for mixtures, the index of refraction can be calculated from the composition of the material using
several mixing rules such as Gladstone-Dale relation and Lorentz-Lorenz equation.
Abbe’s Refractometer:The Abbe instrument is the most convenient and widely used
refractometer, Fig(1) shows a schematic diagram of its optical system.

The sample is contained as a thin layer (~0.1mm) between two prisms. The upper prism is firmly
mounted on a bearing that allows its rotation by means of the side arm shown in dotted lines. The
lower prism is hinged to the upper to permit separation for cleaning and for introduction of the
sample. The lower prism face is rough-ground: when light is reflected into the prism, this surface
effectively becomes the source for an infinite number of rays that pass through the sample at all
angels. The radiation is refracted at the interface of the sample and the smooth-ground face of the
upper prism. After this it passes into the fixed telescope. Two Amici prisms that can be rotated
with respect to another serve to collect the divergent critical angle rays of different colors into a
single white beam, that corresponds in path to that of the sodium D ray. The eyepiece of the
telescope is provided with crosshairs: in making a measurement, the prism angle is changed until
the light-dark interface just coincides with the crosshairs. The position of the prism is then
established from the fixed scale (which is normally graduates in units of nD). Thermosetting
is accomplished by circulation of water through the jackets surrounding the prism. The refractive
index of a substance is ordinarily determined by measuring the change in direction of
colliminated radiation as it passes from one medium to another.

.……….equation 1
Where v1 is the velocity of propagation in the less dense medium M1 and v2 is the velocity in
medium M2; n1 and n2 are the corresponding refractive indices and θ1 and θ2 are the angles of
incidence and refraction, respectively. When M1 is a vacuum, n1 is unity because v1 becomes
equal to c in equation (1). Thus,

…….…..equation 2
Where nvac is the absolute refractive index of M2. Thus nvac can be obtained by measuring the
two angles θ1 and θ2Abbe's refractometer is used to measure the refractive index of the given
organic liquid. Using a particular monochromatic light source, the apparatus is calibrated with
water as the liquid. Adjust the micrometer screw to focus the boundary between the bright and
dark regions. Adjust the refractometer scale to place the cross wire of the telescope exactly on
the boundary between the bright and dark regions. Repeat the same process for different organic
liquids after the equipment is calibrated.

APPARATUS: Abbe’s Refractometer, Cotton wool, Glass rod, beakers


CHEMICALS:
1. Acetone/Chloroform
2. Toulene
3. Distilled Water
PROCEDURE:
1. Clean the surface of prism first with alcohol and then with acetone using cotton and allow it to
dry.
2. Using a dropper put 2-3 drops of given liquid b/w prisms and press them together
3. Allow the light to fall on mirror.
4. Adjust the mirror to reflect maximum light into the prism box
5. Rotate the prism box by moving lever until the boundary b/w shaded and bright parts appear in
the field of view.
6. If a band of colors appear in the light shade boundary make it sharp by rotating the
compensator.
7. Adjust the lever so that light shade boundary passes exactly through the centre of cross wire
8. Read the refractive index directly on the scale
9. Take 3 set of readings and find the average of all the readings.
OBSERVATIONS AND CALCULATIONS:
No.of 1 2 3 4 5 6 Unknown
samples sample
Water 10cm3 8cm 3
6cm 3
4cm 3
2cm 3
0cm 3
6cm3
Ethanol 0cm3 2cm3 4cm3 6cm3 8cm3 10cm3 4cm3
Composition 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% 60%
of water
Refractive 1.333 1.340 1.347 1.353 1.360 1.362 1.347
index

* Usually the refractive index of the sample is given, the percentage composition of unknown
sample is determined by plotting a graph between known% composition of liquids at x- axis and
their respective refractive index at y-axis.
Y-Values
1.37

1.36

1.36

1.35

1.35

1.34

1.34

1.33

1.33

1.32

1.32
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 120%

From the graph it can be seen that the percentage of mixture is 40% ethanol and the rest of the
60% is water.

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