Light through curved surface in Refraction Of Light At Curved Surfaces – Class 10 Science Experiment
Chapter Name: Refraction Of Light At Curved Surfaces
Activity Name: Light through curved surface in Refraction Of Light At Curved Surfaces
Activity Description:
This experiment explores the phenomenon of refraction of light through a curved surface.
The goal is to observe the behavior of light when passing through a cylindrical-shaped transparent vessel with an arrow drawn on a sheet of paper placed behind it. The experiment is conducted in two scenarios: first, with an empty vessel, and second, with the vessel filled with water.
Required Items:
- Black sketch pen
- Thick sheet of paper
- Cylindrical-shaped transparent vessel (e.g., glass tumbler)
- Water
Step by Step Procedure:
- Draw an arrow of length 4 cm on the thick sheet of paper using a black sketch pen.
- Place the cylindrical-shaped transparent vessel on a table.
- Stand on one side of the vessel and ask your friend to hold the sheet with the arrow on the other side of the vessel so that you can see the arrow through the vessel.
- Observe the arrow from your side of the vessel.
Experiment Observations:
- When the vessel is empty:
- You will see a diminished (small-sized) image of the arrow.
- The image appears smaller than the actual arrow.
- When the vessel is filled with water:
- You will observe an inverted image of the arrow.
- The image appears upside down compared to the original arrow.
Precautions:
- Ensure that the cylindrical vessel is transparent and free from any distortions or scratches that could affect the observations.
- Use a thick sheet of paper for drawing the arrow to avoid light passing through it and causing interference.
Lesson Learnt from Experiment:
The experiment demonstrates that light undergoes refraction when passing through a curved interface between different media, in this case, air and water. When the vessel is empty, light undergoes refraction twice as it enters and exits the vessel, resulting in a diminished image. When the vessel is filled with water, the image is inverted due to the different refractive indices of air and water.
