Calculating refractive index using lens

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on calculating the refractive index of liquids using a converging lens and mirror, noting that the refractive index of water is lower than that of glass. It raises the question of whether the same method can be applied to a liquid like mercury, which has a higher refractive index than glass, but concludes that this may not work due to ray divergence preventing the formation of a real image. Participants express uncertainty about the applicability of the "standard method" for liquids with higher refractive indices than glass. Various methods exist for measuring refractive indices, applicable to both higher and lower indices compared to glass. The conversation highlights the complexity of measuring refractive indices in different media.
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we can calculate the refractive index of liquids like water using a converging lens and mirror by the standard method . r.index of water is less than that of lens(glass) . now taking mercury, whose r.index is > glass, can we do the same experiment and find its r.index ?
i believe the answer is no.. coz there the rays get diverged and hence no real image is formed. but i don't think it will always diverge ?? any in sight ?
 
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Refractive index of mercury? It seems to be too opaque to have well defined refractive index (at least if you take r.i. in its classical meaning).
 
oh ya.. mercury is a bad example.. let's say any other transparent liquid having r index > that of glass.
 
So now I have no idea what do you mean by "standard method".
There are lots of methods to measure R.I. which may be used for liquids of both higher and lower R.I. than the one of glass.
 

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