Student's Sheet
Printed: 01/10/2018 13:51:58 | P2220200
Newton's rings (Item No.: P2220200)
Curricular Relevance
Subtopic:
Area of Expertise: Education Level: Topic: Experiment:
Diffraction and
Physics University Light and Optics Newton's rings
Interference
Difficulty Preparation Time Execution Time Recommended Group Size
Difficult 1 Hour 1 Hour 2 Students
Additional Requirements: Experiment Variations:
Keywords:
Coherent light, phase relationship, path difference, interference in thin films, Newton’s ring apparatus
Introduction
Overview
In a Newton’s rings apparatus, monochromatic light interferes in the thin film of air between the slightly convex lens and a plane
glass plate. The wavelengths are determined from the radii of the interference rings.
Fig. 1: Experimental set-up for determining wavelength using the Newton’s apparatus.
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Student's Sheet
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Equipment
Position No. Material Order No. Quantity
1 Interference filters, set of 3 08461-00 1
2 High pressure Hg Lamp, 50 W 08144-00 1
3 Power supply 230 V/ 50 Hz for 50 W-Hg-lamp 13661-97 1
4 Newton rings apparatus 08550-00 1
5 Optical bench expert, l = 1000 mm 08282-00 1
6 Double condenser, f 60 mm 08137-00 1
7 Screen, translucent, 250x250 mm 08064-00 1
8 Slide mount for optical bench expert, h = 80 mm 08286-02 1
9 Slide mount for optical bench expert, h = 30 mm 08286-01 4
10 Base for optical bench expert, adjustable 08284-00 2
11 Lens holder 08012-00 2
12 Lens, mounted, f +50 mm 08020-01 1
13 Ruler, plastic, 200 mm 09937-01 1
Tasks
Using the Newton’s rings apparatus, to measure the diameter of the rings at different wavelengths and:
1. to determine the wavelengths for a given radius of curvature of the lens
2. to determine the radius of curvature at given wavelengths.
Set-up and procedure
The Newton’s rings experiment is set up as shown in Fig. 1. The mercury vapour highpressure lamp with the double condenser
(focal length 60 mm) fitted, the lens holder with the interference filter, the Newton’s rings apparatus, the lens holder with the
lens of focal length 50 mm and a transparent screen about 40 cm away from the lens are all set up on the optical bench. At the
beginning of the experiment the path of the rays is adjusted, first without colour filters, until interference rings can be observed
on the screen. Then the yellow filter is inserted in the lens holder and the room darkened. By turning the three adjusting screws
on the Newton’s rings apparatus to and fro, the plano-convex lens is set on the plane parallel glass plate so that the bright
centre of the interference rings is in the mid-point of the millimetre scale projected on the screen. When making this adjustment,
ensure that the lens and the glass plate only just touch. This is achieved when no more rings emerge from the ring centre when
the adjusting screws are tightened up.
The radii of the interference rings are measured for the various interference filters at the appropriate ordinals.
Fig. 2: Creating Newton’s rings.
Theory and evaluation
If two phase-locked wave trains of the same frequency and plane of polarisation (coherent light) overlap, after travelling
different paths, interference occurs. In a limited aperture angel , the light of wavelength leaving a surface of diameter
fulfils the coherency condition
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Student's Sheet
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Interference figures whose brightness can differ in places, can occur.
“Newton’s rings” occur through monochromatic light interfering in the thin intermediate film between a convex lens and a plane
glass plate. Ray 1 reflected at the underside of the lens thus interferes with ray 2 reflected at the top of the glass plate (Fig. 2).
The film of air at a distance from the point of contact between the lens and the glass plate has a thickness . As
ideal contact is not present, we must take into account. is positive when, for example, there are particles of dust between
the lens and the glass plate, but is can so also be negative when the pressure is greater. The geometric path difference of the
interfering rays is therefore:
In addition, the ray reflected from the plane glass surface experiences a phase shift at the transition from the optically thinner
to the optically denser medium. The effect of this corresponds to a distance travelled of length . In all, therefore, there is an
apparent path difference
(1)
Fig. 3: Geometry used to determine the thickness .
For the interference rings of maximum cancellation,
or
(2)
In accordance with Fig. 3, there is a relation
(3)
between the radius of the nth dark ring, the thickness and the radius of curvature of the plano-convex lens (in the ideal
case ).
In case of slightly convex lenses, , so that for the dark rings, using (2) and (3), we have:
(4)
For the evaluation, is plotted against (Fig. 4). At the given radius of curvature, m, the wavelength of the
transmitted light is obtained from the slope of the straight line:
(5)
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Student's Sheet
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nm
nm
nm
At a given wavelength , the value of obtained from (5) is the average value of the radius of curvature of the plano-convex
lens:
Fig. 4: Radius of the interference rings as a function of the
order number for various wavelengths.
Note
In the set-up described, the Newton’s rings are observed in transmitted light. The interference rings are complementary to those
in reflected light. In the latter case, therefore, the light rings are counted and not the dark ones.
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D - 37079 Göttingen Fax: +49 551 604 - 107 [Link]