Practical 1-

AIM-To Determine Focal Length of a Given Concave Mirror by obtaining the image of a distant
object.

Materials Required

1. A concave mirror

2. A measuring scale

3. A screen holder

4. A mirror holder

5. A mirror stand

Procedure

1. The distance between the selected distinct object should be more than 50 ft.

2. The concave mirror placed on the mirror stand and the distant object should be facing
each other.

3. The screen should be placed in front of the reflecting surface of the mirror. To obtain a
clear, sharp image the screen should be adjusted.

4. Using a metre scale the distance between the concave mirror and screen can be
determined. The distance is the same as the focal length of the given concave mirror.

5. Repeat the above procedure thrice to calculate the average focal length.
Observation Table

Sl.no Position of concave mirror (M) Position of screen (S) Focal length = (M-S)

cm

1 60 cm 50 cm 10 cm

2 60 cm 50 cm 10 cm

3 60 cm 50 cm 10 cm

Calculation

Following is the mean value of the focal length of concave mirror:

f1+f2+f3/3=10cm

Result

10 cm is the focal length of the concave mirror.

Precautions

1. To get a well illuminated and distinct image of the distinct object, the distant object
should be well illuminated.

2. A concave mirror should be always placed near an open window.

3. The polished surface of the concave mirror and the distinct object should be facing each
other.

4. There should not be any hurdle between the rays of light from the object and the
concave mirror.

5. The screen and the concave mirror stand should be parallel to the measuring scale.

6. The mirror holder along with the mirror should be perpendicular to the measuring scale.

Practical 2-

AIM-To determine focal length of a convex lens by obtaining the image of a distant object.
Materials Required

1. A wooden bench

2. A convex lens

3. A lens holder

4. A screen fixed to a stand

5. A measuring scale

Procedure

1. Without disturbing the lens and screen, arrange both of them on the wooden bench.

2. Place the lens on the holder facing a distant object.

3. Place the holder with the screen on the bench.

4. The position of the screen should be such that the sharp image of the distant object is
obtained on it.

5. The difference between the position of the lens and the screen is equal to the focal
length of the given convex lens.

6. Now shift the focus to towards various other distant object and calculate the focal length
of the convex lens.

Observation Table
 Sl.no Position of convex lens (L) Position of screen (S) Focal length = (L-S) cm

1 60 cm 50 cm f1 = 10cm

2 60 cm 50 cm f2 = 10cm

3 60 cm 50 cm f3 = 10cm

Calculation

Following is the mean value of the focal length of convex lens:

f1+f2+f33cm=10cm

Result

10 cm is the focal length of the convex lens.

Precautions

1. The placing of the convex lens should be vertical.

2. There should not be any hurdle between the rays of light from the object and the convex
lens.

3. To get a well illuminated and distinct image of the distinct object, the distant object
should be well illuminated.

4. The convex lens stand and the screen should be parallel to the measuring scale.

Practical 3.

AIM-To trace the path of a ray of light passing through a rectangular glass slab for different
angles of incidence. Measure the angle of incidence, angle of refraction, and angle of
emergence, and interpret the result.

Materials Required

1. A drawing board

2. 4-6 awl pins

3. White sheet of paper

5. A protractor

6. A scale

7. A pencil

8. Thumb pins

Procedure

1. Fix a white sheet on the soft drawing board using thumb pins.

2. Place the glass slab at the centre of the white paper and draw its outline boundary using
a sharp pencil.

3. Let ABCD be the rectangular figure obtained by drawing.

4. Mark a point E on AB and draw a perpendicular EN and label it as a normal ray.

5. Draw one angle of 30° with the help of protractor with EN. Fix pins at P and Q at 4-5 cm
on the ray that is obtained by the angle.

6. Place the glass slab on the rectangular figure ABCD.

7. To fix R and S, see through the glass slab from side CD, such that when seen through the
glass slab, all the pins P, Q, R, and S should lie in a straight line.

8. Draw small circles around the pins P, Q, R and S and remove the pins.

9. Remove the glass slab.

10. Join points R and S such that it meets CD at point F. Draw a perpendicular N’M’ to CD at
point F.

11. Using a pencil, join the points E and F.

12. Measure the angles formed at AB and CD, i.e, the incident angle, refracted angle, and
emergent angle.

13. The lateral displacement is obtained by extending the ray PQ in a dotted line which is
parallel to ray FRS.

14. Measure the lateral displacement.

15. Repeat the same procedure for angles 45° and 60°.
Observation Table

∠i – ∠e
∠i = ∠PEN ∠r = ∠MEF ∠e = ∠SFM’ ∠PEN – ∠SFM’
Sl.no Angle of incidence Angle of refraction Angle of emergence

1 30° 28° 30° 0°

2 45° 43° 44.8° 0.2°

Due to human error the value of ∠i – ∠e may not be equal to zero.

Conclusion

1. The angle of incidence and the angle of emergence are almost equal.

2. As the light is traveling from rarer to denser optical medium, the angle of refraction will
be lesser than the angle of incidence.

3. For different angles of incidence, the lateral displacement will remain the same.

4. The light will bend towards the normal when it travels from an optically rarer medium to
an optically denser medium.

Precautions

1. The rectangular glass slab used should have perfectly smooth faces.

2. The drawing board should be soft so that pins can be easily fixed on it.

3. The angle of incidence should lie between 30° and 60°.

4. All pins base should be in a straight line.

5. The distance between the pins P and Q or the pins R and S, about 5 cm gap should be
maintained.

6. Using a sharp pencil, draw thin lines.

7. The quality of the protractor should be good.

8. The placement of the protractor should be correct to get correct measurements.

9. The perpendiculars should be drawn with care.

Practical 4. AIM-Tracing the path of the rays of light through a glass prism.

Materials Required

Following are the list of materials required for this experiment:

 A white sheet

 Soft board

 Thumb pins
  4-6 awl pins

 Prism

 Pencil

 Scale

 Protractor

 Drawing board

Experimental Setup

Procedure

1. Fix a white sheet on a drawing board using drawing pins.

2. Place the triangular prism resting on its triangular base. Using a pencil, draw the
outline of the prism.

3. Draw NEN normal to the face of the prism AB. Make an angle between 30° and
60° with the normal.

4. On the line PE, fix two pins at a distance of 5cm from each other and mark these as P
and Q.

5. Look for the images of the pins at P and Q through the other face of the prism AC.

6. Fix two pins at R and S such that they appear as a straight line as that of the P and Q
when it is viewed from the AC face of the prism.

7. Remove the pins and the prism.

8. At point F, make the points R and S meet by extending them.

9. PQE is the incident ray which is extended till it meets face AC. SRF is the emergent ray
which is extended backward to meet at point G.
 10. Now mark the angle of incidence ∠i, angle of refraction ∠r and the angle of
emergence ∠e and the angle of deviation ∠D as shown in the experimental setup.

11. Repeat the experiment for more angles between 30° and 60°.

Observations

Conclusion

1. The incident ray bends towards the normal when it enters the prism and while leaving
the prism it bends away from the normal.

2. With the increase in the angle of incidence, the angle of deviation decreases. After
attaining the minimum value, it increases with an increase in the angle of incidence.

Precautions

 For drawing the boundary of the prism, a sharp pencil should be used.

 Soft board and pointed pins should be used.

 The distance between the pins should be 5cm or more.

 The pins should be fixed vertically and should be encircled when they are removed
from the board.

 The angle of incidence should be between 30° and 60°.

 The arrows drawn for incident ray, reflected ray and emergent ray should be proper.

 For viewing the col-linearity of all four pins and images, the head should be slightly
tilted on either side. While doing this it can appear as if all are moving together.