Optics Lab
Physics Instructional Lab
The optics laboratory has between two and four stations for completing experiments. Students will need to schedule an appointment to work on experiments outside of regular class time OR The lab may not be available at certain times of the day – plan accordingly to complete your experiments on time! The optics laboratory is located in Faraday West, Room 219 and is generally open.
Optics Experiments
​1. Index of Refraction of a Glass Prism and Dispersion
September 5, 2012
To measure the index of refraction of a trianglar glass prism by the minimum deflection method. By doing this at several wavelength of light, the dispersion of the index of refraction can be measured
2. Optical Fiber Interrogator
December, 08 2013
To observe grating dynamics in optical fiber.
A wide scope of creativity can be embedded in the experiment,
depending upon how the devices are set up with test samples.
3. Thin Spherical Lenses
December, 08 2013
To study thin spherical lenses.
Chapter 5: Geometrical Optics
5.2: Lenses
5.2.3: Thin Lenses (Thin Lens Equation)
4. Thin Spherical Lenses-II
December, 08 2013
To study a special thin lens combination and learn more about
thin lens object and image making.
Chapter 5: Geometrical Optics
5.2 Lenses
5.2.3 Thins Lens Equation
5. Polarization 1 (Malus' Law)
December, 08 2013
To test Malus' Law with Real Polarizers
Chapter 8: Polarization
8.2 Polarizers
8.2.1 Malus' Law
6. Polarization 2 (Retardation Plates)
December, 08 2013
To study the function and principles of half-wave plates
and quarter-wave plates.
Also to estabilish and analyze elliptically polarized light
Chapter 8: Polarization
8. 7: Retarders
7. Michelson Interferometer
December, 08 2013
In the optics laboratory are sets of Pasco Precision
Interferometers, on which we may set up several different
kinds of inteferometers, including the Michelson,
Fabry-Perot, and Twyman-Green interferometers.
Chapter 9: Interference
9.4: Amplitude-Splitting Inteferometers
9.4.2: Mirrored Interferometers
8 - 10. Fraunhfer Diffraction
December, 08 2013
To study the Fraunhofer patterns of light from single,
double, and multi slits. Accurate measurements could
yield the wavelength of monochromatic light, provided
that the slit width was given accurately.
Chapter 10: Diffraction
10. 2: Fraunhofer Diffraction
11. Fresnel Diffraction
December, 08 2013
To study the complex phenomenon of Fresnel Diffraction
from a single slit and to qualitatively compare observed
spectra with spectra computed from Fresnel integrals.
Chapter 10: Diffraction
10. 3: Fresnel Diffraction
Each experiment will require a lab report. The handout for each experiment will deal mostly with the equipment and procedure, with some theory for guidance. You will be responsible for the theory part, in some cases, along with the presentation of data and some kind of discussion. I regard the discussion as the most important part, as this is where you give thought to the results and explain how well they verify the theory behind the experiment. Alternatively, if there is a discrepancy, you should attempt to explain the reason. The paper should be typed with the following sections included in the same order:
• Title
• Objective
• Theory – often just some master equation and a mention of where it came from.
• Procedure – sketch of procedure from handout, or else, what you actually did if different than handout.
• Data and graphs.
• Discussion – did experiment verify equation? or if not, why not?
• Visualization of Lab Activity – performing a lab experiment is recorded with any type of recording device (video camera, smart phone, etc) and a video file should be submitted with a lab report. The procedure is detailed below.
Lab Report
Example of Lab Video File