PRISM SPECTROMETER

1. What is a spectrometer?
It is an instrument to study the spectra of different sources of light.

2. What is a prism?
A prism is a 3-dimensional shape with two identical shapes facing each other.

3. Is it essential in your experiment to place the prism in the minimum

deviation position? If so, why?
Yes, it is essential because we obtain a bright and distinct spectrum and
magnification value is 1 i.e., the distance of the object and image from the prism is
the same. The rays of different colors after refraction diverge from the same points
for various colors.
When the prism is kept at a minimum deviation position, the width of the spectral
line is equal to the slit width (magnification = 1).

4. Will the angle of minimum deviation change, if the prism is immersed in

water?
Yes, the refractive index of glass in water is less than air hence angle of minimum
deviation becomes less.

5. What is dispersive power?

When white light passes through a thin prism, the ratio of the angular dispersion
between the violet and red emergent rays and the deviation suffered by a mean ray
(ray of yellow color) is called the ‘dispersive power’ of the material of the prism. It is
denoted by ω.

6. Which source of light are you using? Is it a monochromatic source of

light?
Neon lamp or mercury lamp. It is not a monochromatic source of light. The
monochromatic source contains only one wavelength.

7. What is angular dispersion?

The angle between the emergent rays of any two colors is called the angular
dispersion between those two colors.

8. Does the angle of minimum deviation vary with the color of light?
 Yes, it is minimum for red and maximum for violet color.

9. What is meant by a monochromatic source of light?

It is a source that emits waves of the same color or wavelength.

10.Why do we use sodium vapor lamps in the laboratory as a source of

light?
It emits nearly monochromatic light (yellow) of wavelength 5890 Å.

11.What is the function of a collimator?

It is to produce parallel rays.

12.What are the parts of a telescope?

It has an objective and an eye-piece and a cross wire at the focal plane of the
eyepiece.

13. What is an eyepiece?

An eyepiece is a magnifier designed to give a more perfect image than obtained by a
single lens.

14.What is the angle of deviation?

The angle of deviation (δ) is the angle between the emergent ray and incident ray.
Δ = (μ−1)A

15.What is meant by minimum deviation?

As the angle of incidence at one face of a prism increases the angle of deviation
decreases reaches a minimum value and then increases. The minimum angle of
deviation is called the angle of minimum deviation.
The angle of deviation is called the minimum angle of deviation when the angle of
emergence becomes equal to the angle of incidence.

16.Why are the two readings of the spectrometer taken?

They are taken in order to eliminate any error arising due to the non-coincidence of
the center of the graduated scale and the axis of rotation.

17.Aim of Spectrometer Experiment?

To find the refractive index of a solid prism by measuring the angle of the prism A
and the angle of minimum deviation D.