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    JEE Main 2026 April 5 Shift 2 Question Paper with Solutions PDF

    To Determine Refractive Index Of A Glass Slab Using Travelling Microscope - Practice Questions & MCQ

    Edited By admin | Updated on Sep 18, 2023 18:34 AM | #JEE Main

    Quick Facts

    • 14 Questions around this concept.

    Solve by difficulty

    An experiment is performed to find the refractive index of glass using a travelling microscope. In this experiment, distances are measured by

    Given below are two statements : one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other is labelled as Reason (R)

    Assertion (A) : Refractive index of glass is higher than that of air.

    Reason (R) : Optical density of a medium is directly proportionate to its mass density which results in a proportionate refractive index.
    In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below :

    Concepts Covered - 1

    To determine refractive index of a glass slab using travelling microscope

    Aim-
    To determine the refractive index of a glass slab using a traveling microscope.

    Apparatus-
    Three "glass slabs of different thickness but same material, a traveling microscope, lycopodium powder.

    A slab is a piece of transparent material with rectangular faces. All faces are transparent and opposite faces
    are parallel. The dimension along with the light travels inside the slab is called its thickness.

    A Short Description of a Travelling Microscope
    It is a compound microscope fitted vertically on a vertical scale. It can be moved up and down, carrying a
    vernier scale moving along the main scale.
    In any position, the reading is taken by combining the main scale and vernier scale reading.

    Theory-

    $\mu=\frac{\text { Real thickess of the slab }}{\text { Apparent thickness of the slab }}$

    Diagram-

     

    Procedure-
    Adjustment of the travelling microscope

    1. Place the travelling microscope (M) on the table near a window so that sufficient light falls on it.
    2. Adjust the levelling screws so that the base of the microscope becomes horizontal.

    3. Make microscope horizontal. Adjust the position of the eyepiece so that the cross wires are clearly
    visible.
    4. Determine the vernier constant of the vertical scale of the microscope.

    Other steps
    5. Make a black-ink cross-mark on the base of the microscope. The mark will serve as point  P.

    6. Make the microscope vertical and focus it on the cross at P, so that there is no parallax between the
    cross-wires and the image of the mark P.
    7. Note the main scale and the vernier scale readings (R1) on the vertical scale.
    8. Place the glass slab of least thickness over the mark P.

    9. Raise the microscope upwards and focus it on the image  P1 of the cross-mark
    10. Note the reading  P2 on the vertical scale as before (Step  7 ) 
    11. Sprinkle a few particles of lycopodium powder on the surface of the slab.

    12. Raise the microscope further upward and focus it on the particle near S.
    13. Note the reading  R3 on the vertical scale again (Step  7)
    14. Repeat the above steps with another glass slab of more thicknesses.
    15.  Record your observations.
     

    Calculation-

    Vernier constant (least count) for the vertical scale of microscope = .....

    $
    \begin{aligned}
    & \mu=\frac{\text { Real thickess of the slab }}{\text { Apparent thickness of the slab }} \\
    & \mu=\frac{R_3-R_1}{R_3-R_2} \\
    & \text { Mean }=\mu=\frac{\mu_1+\mu_2+\mu_3}{3}
    \end{aligned}
    $


    Result-

    $
    \underline{R_3-R_1}
    $


    The ratio $\overline{R_3-R_2}$ is constant.
    It gives the refractive index of the material of the glass slab.

     

     

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