Glass Slab
Product Code : SCL-LAO-11185
Quick answer: The glass slab is a rectangular block of optical glass with polished viewing faces, used in school physics to trace light rays through a parallel-sided medium, verify the laws of refraction and find the refractive index of glass by the pin method. Its edges are ground for safe handling. Lab Exports manufactures it in Delhi for schools, colleges and universities.
Specifications
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Shape | Rectangular block with parallel faces |
| Material | Homogeneous optical glass with a uniform refractive index |
| Viewing faces | Flat, optically polished |
| Edges | Ground (seamed) safety edges |
| Optical quality | No visible internal bubbles or inclusions |
| Supplied with | User instruction note for basic ray-tracing experiments |
Slab dimensions are confirmed with the quotation.
How the glass slab experiment is done
A ray of light that enters the slab obliquely bends towards the normal, and on leaving the opposite parallel face it bends away from the normal by the same amount. The emergent ray is therefore parallel to the incident ray but shifted sideways; this shift is the lateral displacement. Measuring the angle of incidence i and the angle of refraction r at the first face gives the refractive index of the glass from Snell's law, n = sin i / sin r.
- Pin a sheet of white paper to a drawing board, place the slab flat at its centre and outline it with a sharp pencil.
- Fix two pins upright on one side so that the line joining them meets the slab face at an angle; this marks the incident ray.
- Look through the opposite face and fix two more pins in line with the images of the first two pins.
- Remove the slab, join the pin marks to draw the incident, refracted and emergent rays, and draw the normals at both faces.
- Measure i and r with a protractor, repeat for three or four angles of incidence and average sin i / sin r.
Looking straight down through the slab at a mark on the paper also shows that the mark appears raised, so the same block serves for the real depth and apparent depth activity.
Key features
- Optical glass with a uniform refractive index gives repeatable readings from one student set to the next.
- Flat, polished faces let a light ray or laser beam pass with little scattering, keeping pin images sharp.
- Ground edges remove sharp corners for safer handling in student practicals.
- Solid glass resists the clouding and surface scratching that acrylic blocks show after repeated wiping.
- Regular rectangular geometry makes it easy to outline the slab and draw normals on the ray sheet.
Documentation and supply
A user instruction note for basic ray-tracing experiments is supplied with the slab. Most Lab Exports products carry a one-year manufacturer warranty.
Lab Exports manufactures the glass slab at its works in Laxmi Nagar, Delhi, and supplies it to schools, colleges and universities in India and 60+ countries, handling the export documents for each shipment. More about the company is on the About Lab Exports page.
Related Light and Optics products
- Semi Circular Glass Slab (SCL-LAO-11184)
- Optical Bench Full Shaper (SCL-LAO-11180)
- Optical Bench Half Shaper (SCL-LAO-11173)
- Optical Bench Ordinary (SCL-LAO-11172)
- Laser Ray Optics Kit (SCL-LAO-11170)
- Newton's Colour Disc Model (SCL-LAO-11215)
The full range is in the Light and Optics section of the Physics Lab range.
Frequently asked questions
What experiments can be done with a rectangular glass slab?
It is used to verify the laws of refraction, measure the lateral displacement of a ray, find the refractive index of glass by the pin method and compare real and apparent depth.
How is the refractive index found with a glass slab?
Trace the incident and refracted rays with pins, measure the angle of incidence i and the angle of refraction r, and calculate n = sin i / sin r; averaging several angles improves the result.
What is the price of the glass slab?
Prices are not published on the website. Add the glass slab to the Enquiry Cart with the Add To Cart button on this page, or email [email protected] with the house code SCL-LAO-11185 and the quantity, to receive a quotation.
Does Lab Exports manufacture the glass slab?
Yes. Lab Exports manufactures the glass slab at its works at 11/315, Lalita Park, Laxmi Nagar, Delhi 110092, under house code SCL-LAO-11185.
Request a quote
Email [email protected] with the house code SCL-LAO-11185 and the quantity, or add the glass slab to the Enquiry Cart with the Add To Cart button on this page. Tender buyers can also see the Tenders and OEM page.
