PhysicsLAB: 2007 Form B

A student is asked to determine the index of refraction of a glass slab. She conducts several trials for measurement of angle of incidence

in the air versus angle of refraction in the glass

at the surface of the slab. She records her data in the following table. The index of refraction in air is 1.0.

	(a) Plot the data points on the axes below and draw a best-fit line through the points.

	(b) Calculate the index of refraction of the glass slab from your best-fit line.

	(c) Describe how you could use the graph to determine the critical angle for the glass-air interface. Do not use the answer to the part (b) for this purpose.

	(d) On the graph in (a), sketch and label a line for a material of higher index of refraction.