2. What value did you calculate for the index of refraction of the glass block in Part 2? How does your value compare to the accepted value of 1.53? Calculate the percentage error. Different materials have distinct indexes of refraction. Explain how you might identify a material based on experiments like this one. Mention at least one of the difficulties in identifying materials based on their indexes of refraction.
Percentage error:
1.55 – 1.53 ÷ 1.53
0.02 ÷ 1.53
.013 x 100
1.3 % error
To calculate the index of refraction of the glass block in Part 2, you need the angle of incidence and the angle of refraction. Once you have these angles, you can use Snell's Law:
\[ \text{Index of Refraction} = \frac{\sin(\text{angle of incidence})}{\sin(\text{angle of refraction})} \]
Now, let's assume that the angle of incidence is 45 degrees and the angle of refraction is 30 degrees. Plugging these values into the equation:
\[ \text{Index of Refraction} = \frac{\sin(45\degree)}{\sin(30\degree)} \]
\[ \text{Index of Refraction} = \frac{\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}}{\frac{1}{2}} \]
\[ \text{Index of Refraction} = \sqrt{2} \]
The calculated value for the index of refraction of the glass block in Part 2 is \sqrt{2} (approximately 1.41).
To compare this to the accepted value of 1.53, you can calculate the percentage error using the formula:
\[ \text{Percentage Error} = \left|\frac{\text{Accepted Value} - \text{Calculated Value}}{\text{Accepted Value}}\right| \times 100 \]
\[ \text{Percentage Error} = \left|\frac{1.53 - 1.41}{1.53}\right| \times 100 \]
\[ \text{Percentage Error} = \frac{0.12}{1.53} \times 100 \]
\[ \text{Percentage Error} = 7.84\% \]
Therefore, the percentage error between the calculated value of the index of refraction (1.41) and the accepted value (1.53) is 7.84%.
To identify a material based on experiments like this one, you can compare the calculated index of refraction to known values for different materials. Each material has a unique index of refraction due to variations in density and composition.
One way to identify a material is by comparing the calculated index of refraction to reference tables or databases. If the calculated index of refraction is within a certain range of a known material's index of refraction, you can infer that the material is likely to be the same.
However, one difficulty in identifying materials based on their indexes of refraction is that certain materials can have similar or overlapping index values. This can lead to ambiguity when trying to determine the exact material based solely on the index of refraction. Additionally, the index of refraction can be dependent on factors such as temperature and frequency of light, which adds further complexity to the identification process.
To calculate the value for the index of refraction of the glass block in Part 2, you need to measure two quantities: the angle of incidence and the angle of refraction.
1. Measure the angle of incidence: This is the angle between the incident light ray (incoming light) and the normal (a line perpendicular to the surface of the glass block). To measure this angle, use a protractor or a device with a built-in angle measurement tool. Make sure the light ray hits the glass block at an angle.
2. Measure the angle of refraction: This is the angle between the refracted light ray (the light ray that enters and bends inside the glass block) and the normal. Using the same method as above, measure this angle.
3. Calculate the index of refraction: The index of refraction (n) can be calculated using Snell's Law: n = sin(angle of incidence) / sin(angle of refraction).
Once you have calculated the value for the index of refraction, compare it to the accepted value of 1.53. Calculate the percentage error using the formula: Percentage Error = |(Experimental Value - Accepted Value) / Accepted Value| * 100%.
To identify different materials based on experiments like this one, you can compare the calculated value of the index of refraction with known values for different materials. Each material has a distinct index of refraction, so if your calculated value matches closely with a known value, you can infer the material you are dealing with.
However, one difficulty in identifying materials based on their indexes of refraction is that some materials can have similar or overlapping index values. This can lead to ambiguity or uncertainty while trying to pinpoint the exact material based solely on its index of refraction. In such cases, additional experiments or analyses may be required for a conclusive identification.