EXPERIMENT:4

Object:TofindthewavelengthofSodiumlightbyNewtonsring.
Apparatus used: A Plano convex lens of large radius of curvature, optical arrangement for
Newtonsrings,planeglassplate,sodiumvapourlampandtravelingmicroscope.
Formulaused:Thewavelengthoflightisgivenbytheformula

4
Where,

=diameterof(n+p)thring
=diameterofnthring,
p=anintegernumber,
R=radiusofcurvatureofthecurvedfaceoftheplanoconvexlens.

Procedure:Ifapointsourceisusedonlythenwerequireaconvexlensotherwisewhileusingan
extendedsource,convexlensL1isnotrequired.BeforestartingtheexperimenttheglassplatesG1
and G2 and the planoconvex lens L2 should be thoroughly cleaned. The centre of lens L2 is well
illuminatedbyadjustingtheinclinationofglassplateG1at45asshowninfigure1(Left).

Focustheeyepieceonthecrosswireandmovethemicroscopeintheverticalplanebymeansof
rack and pin on arrangements till the rings are quite distinct. Adjustments are to be done till
satisfactory fringe system of perfect circular shape with a dark spot at the centre is obtained.
Themicroscopeisfocusedtogetcleardarkandbrightfringes inthefieldofviewasshownin
figure1(right).Clampthemicroscopeintheverticalside.
First,themicroscopeisadjustedsothatthecentreofthecrosswirescoincideswiththecentral
darkspotofthefringesystem.Themicroscopeisthenmovedslowlyeithertowardsleftorright
ofthecentre.Whilethemicroscopeismoved,thenumberofdarkringsiscountedsay,upto14.
Atthe14thdarkringthemicroscopeisstoppedanditsmotionisreversed.Itisbroughtbackto
thepositionof12thring.Theverticalcrosswireisadjustedsuchthatitwillbetangentialtothe
12thdarkring.Inthispositionthereadingofthemicroscopeisnoted.Themicroscopeisthen
movedtothe10thdarkringsuchthattheverticalcrosswireisagaintangentialtothering.The
readingofthemicroscopeisnoted.Theaboveprocessiscontinuedtill2thdarkringisreached.
Aftertakingthereadingforthe2thringthemicroscopeismovedinthesamedirectionontothe
oppositesideofthecentre.Themicroscopeismovedtillthe2 thdarkringontheoppositesideis
reached.Thereadingistakenasbeforeforthe2thdarkring.Themeasurementsarecontinued
ontheoppositesidetill12thdarkringisreached.Theobservationsarenotedintable.

Theradiusofthecurvaturecanbedeterminedbytheusingaspherometer.Inthiscase,


Wherelisthedistancebetweenthetwolegsofthespherometerasshowninfigure2(right)andh
isthedifferenceofthereadingsofthespectrometerwhenitisplacedonthelensaswellaswhen
placedontheplanesurface.
Travelling
Microscope

FringeNo.1210864224681012

Glass
plate,G1

Source
Convex
Lens,L1

Planoconvex
Lens,L2

Glass
plate,G2

Figure:Left:ExperimentalarrangementtoobtainNewtonsring.Right:Newtonsringobserved.
OBSERVATION:Valueofonedivisionofthemainscale=..cm.
Noofdivisiononthevernierscale=.
Leastcountofthetravellingmicroscope=.cm.
:
(A) Tablefordeterminationof
Sr.
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6

No.of
thering
12
10
8
6
4
2

LHSreadingincm
MSR
VSR TR(L)

RHSreadingincm
Diameter
MSR
VSR TR(R) D=(L~R)

Forp=6,Mean

D2
incm2
a=
b=
c=
d=
e=
f=

incm2
ad=
be=
c f=

(B) TablefordeterminationofRusingspherometer:
Distancebetweenthetwolegsofspherometerl=cm.
Sr.
No.
1
2
3

Spherometerreadingonplanesurface
MSR
VSR
TR(a)

Spherometerreadingonlenssurface
MSR
VSR
TR(b)

h=(ba)incm

Mean,hincm

MSR=MainScaleReading,VSR=VernierScaleReading,TR=MSR+VSR=TotalReading.


Calculations:
UsinghandlobtainedinTable(B),theradiusofcurvatureoftheplanoconvexlensRisgivenby:

Using(

2
)obtainedinTable(A)forp=6,thewavelengthofsodiumlightisgivenby:

____
4
)canalsobeobtainedusingagraphasshowninfigure2(left).Thegraphis
Thevalueof(
plottedbetweenthesquareofdiameteroftheringalongYaxisandcorrespondingnumberofring
alongXaxis.Astraightlineisobtained.Slopeof the graphis calculated.Theslopeofthestraight
]. Then the radius of curvature R is calculated from the
line gives the value of [
formulausingthevaluesgivenabove.Thewavelengthofsodiumlightis,thus

____

AC=l
DB=h
OD=OE

p=mn

Figure:Left:Thegraphbetweenthesquareofdiameteroftheringandnumberofrings.
Right:SpherometeronthelensconvexsurfaceADCoftheplanoconvexlens.
RESULT:Themeanwavelengthofsodiumlight=.
Standardmeanwavelength=.
PercentageError=..%
SOURCESOFERRORandPRECAUTION:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)

Glassplatesandlensshouldbecleanedthoroughly.
Theplanoconvexlensshouldbeoflargeradiusofcurvature.
Thesourcesoflightusedshouldbeanextendedone.
Therangeofthemicroscopeshouldbeproperlyadjustedbeforemeasuringthediameters.
Crosswireshouldbefocusedonadarkringtangentially.
Thecentreoftheringsystemshouldbeadarkspot.
Themicroscopeisalwaysmovedinthesamedirectiontoavoidbacklasherror.
Radiusofcurvatureshouldbemeasuredaccurately.