Resource
Index of refraction of various materials
Measured refractive indices of common liquids — handy for index-matching experiments like the disappearing-milk demo.
Below is a table of the index of refraction of a few liquids that may be useful for index matching in an experiment. Measurements were made with an ATAGO PAL-RI handheld refractometer. Uncertainties reflect measurement uncertainty and are not indications of batch-to-batch variation in these off-the-shelf products.
| Material | Temp. [°C] | Index of refraction [–] |
|---|---|---|
| Windex Original (with ammonia-D) | 25.4 ± 0.1 | 1.3322 ± 0.0004 |
| Water | 25.0 ± 0.1 | 1.3325 ± 0.0002 |
| Vinegar, white distilled | 26.7 ± 0.1 | 1.3350 ± 0.0002 |
| Dawn Ultra | 26.6 ± 0.25 | 1.3758 ± 0.0002 |
| Micro-90 concentrated cleaner | 25.9 ± 0.25 | 1.4082 ± 0.0002 |
| Paraffin lamp oil (Lamplight Ultra-Pure) | 27.1 ± 0.1 | 1.4276 ± 0.0002 |
| Lamp oil (Florasense) | 24.6 ± 0.1 | 1.4389 ± 0.0002 |
| Mineral oil / baby oil (Johnson's) | 27.6 ± 0.1 | 1.4634 ± 0.0002 |
| Glycerin (99%) | 27.8 ± 0.1 | 1.4718 ± 0.0002 |
| Mineral oil (Kroger) | 27.7 ± 0.1 | 1.4729 ± 0.0002 |
| Safflower oil (Gamblin) | 24 ± 0.5 | 1.4746 ± 0.0002 |
| Linseed oil, refined (Winsor & Newton) | 25.4 ± 0.1 | 1.4754 ± 0.0002 |
| Linseed oil, purified (Daler Rowney) | 27 ± 1 | 1.4789 ± 0.0002 |
| Mineral oil (Equate) | 26.5 ± 0.25 | 1.4798 ± 0.0002 |
| 3-IN-ONE oil | 27.5 ± 0.1 | 1.4877 ± 0.0002 |