A Simple Experimental Set for Refractive Index Measurements of Liquids

Abstract

The objectives of this work were to reconstruct the simple refractive index experimental set using Snell’s law and refracted light through different media and to study the efficiency of them. It was apparently comfortable and easy to use. It is consisted of: 1) an acrylic box and LASER source, 2) the acrylic box that connected with a scale meter ruler and 3) the plate mirror which could be varied horizontal angel for using. In finding the efficiency by using the simple experimental set, send the light from LASER source trough the desired liquid in box after that had refracted in the air. The refractive index was calculated from the data of the horizontal distance between the refract  light position on the plate mirror to the scale ruler , the height distance from the refracted light position on mirror to  refracted light position on the scale ruler and the  horizontal angel of the plate mirror. The excellent of the simple experimental set was the horizontal angel can be varied. The using of the simple refractive index experimental set found the refractive indices of 4 types of liquids; water, glycerin, 50% of syrup and palm oil. The results revealed that the refractive indices of water, glycerin, 50% of syrup and palm oil were 1.244-1.286, 1.346-1.558, 1.286-1.328 and 1.323-1.584, respectively. The error percentage of this simple refractive index experimental set was less than 10 %.