Experiment No.

Aim: Determination of dispersive power of a diffraction grating using sodium D-lines

Apparatus: Spectrometer, diffraction grating, sodium lamp with power supply.

Theory :The sodium spectrum is dominated by the bright doublet known as the sodium D-lines at 589.0 and
589.6 nm. Using an appropriate diffraction grating the wavelength separation of these two lines can be
determined. A schematic for diffraction of sodium light (Na-D lines) with a plane transmission grating is shown
in Fig. 1.

Diffraction Grating: An arrangement consisting of a large number of parallel slits of the same width and separated
by equal opaque spaces is known as diffraction grating. For N parallel slits, each with a width a, separated by an
opaque space of width b. the diffraction pattern consists of diffraction modulated interference fringes. The
quantity (a+b) is called the grating element and N (= 1/ (a+b)) is the number of slits per unit length, which could
typically be 300 to 12000 lines per inch. For a large number of slits, the diffraction pattern consists of extremely
sharp (practically narrow lines) principal maxima, together with weak secondary maxima in between the principal
maxima. The various principal maxima are called orders.

For polychromatic incident light falling normally on a plane transmission grating principal maxima for each
spectral colour are given by (a+b)sin= n

where n is the order of principal maximum and θ is the angle of diffraction.

Angular dispersive power: The angular dispersive power of the grating is defined as the rate of change of angle
of diffraction with the change in wavelength. It is given by

d/d=n/(a+b)cos

where (a+b)is grating element; a= width of a transparency b= width of an opacity n= order of the spectrum
 = angle of diffraction

Procedure: (a) Adjustment of collimator and the Telescope :

1. Level the prism table, telescope and collimator such that telescope axis and collimator, axis intersect the
principal vertical axis of the spectrometer.

2. Focus the eye-piece of the telescope on the cross-wire by drawing it in or out of the telescope tube until the
cross-wire is seen clearly.

Adjustment of the Grating : The grating is to be adjusted on the prism table such that light from the collimator
falls normally on it. For achieving this :

4. First the collimator and the telescope are brought in one line and the image of the slit is focused on the
vertical cross-wire. The corresponding reading on the scale is noted.

5. The telescope is rotated through 90.

 6. Mount the grating on the prism table and rotate the prism table so that the reflected image is seen on the
vertical cross-wire in the telescope. Take the vernier readings.

7. Turn the prism table from this position through 45ᵒ or 135ᵒ, so that ‘writing’ on the grating is away from the
collimator. In this position, the grating is normal to the incident beam

8. The slit is rotated in its place till the spectral lines are very sharp and bright. This brings the slit parallel to
the lines of grating.

Measuring the Diffraction Angles :

9. Set the telescope on the yellow line of the sodium light spectrum, not down the reading.

10. Rotate the telescope on either side of central position of the telescope for the first and second order in
succession and record these readings

11. The average of difference between theta values of central-first and second order maxima gives the values of
first and second order diffraction maxima.

Diagram:

Least count:

Main scale: 1/3 degrees

Vernier scale:1/180 degrees

Formula used:

(a+b)sin= n

Dispersive power=d/d=n/(a+b)cos

Observation table

n MSR VSR Total(MSR+(CS*LC)) Thet|theta0-

thetan|
Central 0 221.5 10 -
first right 1 231 29 - R1
second right 2 241 16 - R2
first left -1 211 18 - L1
second left -2 200 13 - L2
Calculations:

n=1

Θ1=(r1+l1)/2

n=2

Θ1=(r2+l2)/2

(a+b)=1/300 mm
(𝑎+𝑏)𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃1
𝜆1 = (Å)
1

(𝑎+𝑏)𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃2
𝜆2 = (Å)
2

Dispersive power for

N=1
𝑑𝜃 1
= (𝑎+𝑏)𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 rad/mm
𝑑𝜆 1

N=2
𝑑𝜃 2
= (𝑎+𝑏)𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 rad/mm
𝑑𝜆 2

ERROR :

d/d=n/(a+b)cos

Let d/d= P

Taking log on both sides

log 𝑃 =log 𝑛 − log(𝑎 + 𝑏) − log⁡(𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃)

Differentiate on both sides

𝑑𝑃 𝑑𝑛 𝑑(𝑎+𝑏) 𝑑𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃
= ⁡−⁡ −
𝑃 𝑛 (𝑎+𝑏) 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃

𝑑𝑃
=(0 −0 − 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜃𝑑𝜃)×100
𝑃

PRECAUTIONS: 1. Once the collimator and the telescope are adjusted for parallel rays, their focusing should
not be disturbed throughout the experiment.

2. Once the grating is properly adjusted on the turntable it should be locked.

3. While taking measurements at different positions of the telescope. It must always be in locked condition.

4. While rotating the telescope arm if the vernier crosses over 0º (360º) on the circular main scale take the
angular difference appropriately.

Result:
Dispersive power for first and second order diffraction is: