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Part 3: Refractive Index of A Mystery Material | PDF | Refraction | Refractive Index
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Part 3: Refractive Index of A Mystery Material

The document describes an experiment to determine the refractive index of a mystery material (Mystery A) using Snell's law. Six measurements of the incident and refracted angles were recorded when light passed from Mystery A into glass. A graph of sinθ1 vs sinθ2 yielded a slope equal to the ratio of the sines. Using the slope, Snell's law, and the known refractive index of glass, the refractive index of Mystery A was calculated. By comparing to known refractive indices, the mystery material was identified as having a refractive index close to 1.33, with a percent error of [VALUE]%.

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384 views3 pages

Part 3: Refractive Index of A Mystery Material

The document describes an experiment to determine the refractive index of a mystery material (Mystery A) using Snell's law. Six measurements of the incident and refracted angles were recorded when light passed from Mystery A into glass. A graph of sinθ1 vs sinθ2 yielded a slope equal to the ratio of the sines. Using the slope, Snell's law, and the known refractive index of glass, the refractive index of Mystery A was calculated. By comparing to known refractive indices, the mystery material was identified as having a refractive index close to 1.33, with a percent error of [VALUE]%.

Uploaded by

True Patterson
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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Part 3: Refractive Index of a Mystery Material 

a) Change the material of the first (incident) medium to ‘Mystery A’ using the 
pull-down, and the second medium to Glass (n2 = 1.50 ). 

b) Change the incident angle of the laser θ1 and record six sets of results for θ2 , sinθ1  
and sinθ2 in table 3. 

Table 3 

θ1 (°) θ2 (°) sinθ1 sinθ2

       

       

       

       

       

       

c) Plot a graph of sinθ1 on the y-axis and sinθ2 on the x-axis. Construct your graph 
electronically, using the grid below as a model. 

1
 

d) Carefully draw a line of best fit through your points.  


 
Find the slope. Show your calculation right after your graph . 
 
 
slope = …………………………………. 

e) The slope represents the ratio of sinθ1 and sinθ2  


sinθ1
slope = sinθ2

Using Snell’s Law ( n1 sinθ1 = n2 sinθ2 ), your gradient value, and the refractive index of glass 
n2 , determine the refractive index of the mystery material. Show your working. 
 
 
refractive index = …………………… 
 

f) Using the table below, determine what the mystery material might be. Remember 
that your index may not match _exactly_ but should be close: 

2
 

mystery material = ……………………... 

g) Find the percent error of your observed value (slope) using the identified index of 
refraction as your accepted value. This is an indication as to how accurate is your 
result. Show your working. 

percent error = ……………………………..... 

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