Low-Cost Lateral Displacement Refractometer for Liquids: A Take-Home Student Experiment

V. Anantha Narayanan and Radha Narayanan
Savannah State College, Savannah, GA 31404
J. Chem. Educ., 1996, 73 (8), p 784
DOI: 10.1021/ed073p784
Publication Date (Web): August 1, 1996
History, Education, and Documentation

Abstract

This article describes an experiment that uses a low-cost lateral displacement refractometer. A thin, clear plastic photograph-picture box frame open at one face serves as the hollow container to keep the liquids. It is filled with selected liquids of known refractive indices (n). It is calibrated as a refractometer by measuring the lateral displacement (X) of the incident beam due to refraction in the liquid as it emerges out into air from the opposite face of the box. A calibration graph of X vs n was tested on two control liquids with success. The refractometer can be used in the home or laboratory by science students.

Keywords (Audience):

High School / Introductory Chemistry

Keywords (Domain):

Laboratory Instruction

Keywords (Pedagogy):

Hands-On Learning / Manipulatives

Keywords (Subject):

Solutions / Solvents
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  • Received: August 03, 2009

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