Experiment-8

Spectrometer-Wavelength of Sodium Vapour Lamp

Aim
To find the wavelength of sodium vapour lamp using a spectrometer.

Apparatus
Spectrometer, Plane Transmission grating, sodium vapour lamp and Reading
lens.

Formula
2 sin θ/2
N= mλ

Where N is the no of lines per grating

λ is the wavelength of the light in meter
� is the angle of diffraction
m is the order of the spectrum
Least Count of Spectrometer

The value of each main scale divisions is half a degree (30').

The number of vernier scale divisions is 30.
29 main scale divisions are divided into 30 vernier scale divisions (30VSD =
29 MSD)
Therefore value of 1 VSD = 29/30 MSD.

Least Count (L.C.) = 1MSD - 1VSD

= 1MSD - 29/30 MSD
= 1/30 MSD
= 1/30 x 30'
(L.C.) = 1' (1 minute)

Procedure
 Preliminary adjustments
1. Turn the telescope towards the white wall or screen and looking
through eye-piece, adjust its position till the cross wires are clearly seen.
2. Turn the telescope towards window; focus the telescope to a long
distant object.
3. Place the telescope parallel to collimator.
4. Place the collimator directed towards sodium vapor lamb. Switch on
the lamp.
5. Focus collimator slit using collimator focusing adjustment.
6. Adjust the collimator slit width.
7. Place prism table, note that the surface of the table is just below the
level of telescope and collimator.
8. Place spirit level on prism table. Adjust the base leveling screw till the
bubble come at the center of spirit level.
9. Place the Plane Transmission grating on the prism table. The telescope
is rotated for viewing the first order on the left.
10. Vernier reading on the left and right faces are taken. Rotate the
telescope to the right side in order to view the image on the right. Note down the
reading on both the verniers.
11. Remove the grating from the prism table and adjust the telescope to
view the direct image. Note down the reading from both verniers.
12. Difference between the direct reading and diffracted reading gives 2�
from which � can be calculated.
13. The value of � is substituted in the formula and λ is obtained.

Observation

Order of the Vernier I Vernier II

image
MSR VSC Correct MSR VSC Correct
Reading Reading
Direct Ray Reading

Vernier I Vernier II

MSR VSC Correct MSR VSC Correct

Reading Reading

Result

The wavelength of the sodium vapour lamp is found to be ___________