Fig. 4.

1 Adjustment of the grating for normal incidence

4.2 Angle of Diffraction

Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 30

 SPECTROMETER – GRATING

EXPT. NO: DATE:

AIM
To determine the wavelength of the prominent lines of mercury spectrum
using spectrometer.

GENERAL OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the number of lines per metre length of the given grating
using green line of mercury source and the wavelength of the five prominent
lines of mercury spectrum using spectrometer.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
1. To execute the preliminary adjustments of the spectrometer
2. To adjust the grating for normal incidence
3. To calculate the angle of diffraction
4. To compute the number of lines per metre length of the given grating
using green line
5. To find the wavelengths of the five prominent spectral lines of the
spectrum

APPARATUS REQUIRED
 Spectrometer
 Mercury vapour lamp
 Diffraction grating
 Grating table
 Reading lens
 Spirit level, etc.,

Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 31

 LEAST COUNT FOR SPECTROMETER
Least Count = 1 MSD – 1 VSD
1 MSD = 30’
30 VSD = 29 MSD
1 VSD = (29/30) X 30’ = 29’
Least Count = 30’ - 29’ = 1’
TABLE I
To determine the number of lines per metre (N)
Telescope Reading

Left Right Difference

N=
Spectral line

Vernier A Vernier B Vernier A Vernier B 2

sin/mG


Ver A

Ver B

Mean
MSR

MSR

MSR

MSR
lines/metre
VC

CR

VC

VC
VC

CR

CR
CR
Green

Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 31

 FORMULA
Number of lines per metre length of grating

Wavelength of prominent lines of mercury spectrum

Symbol Explanation Unit

number of lines per metre length of the given

N lines/ m
grating

Hg wavelength of prominent lines of mercury spectrum m

wavelength of green line of mercury source (5461 x

G m
10-10 m )

 angle of diffraction degree

m order of the spectrum m = 1 No unit

PREREQUISITE KNOWLEDGE
1. Wavelength
The distance between two successive crests or troughs of a wave.
2. Spectrum
The distribution of colors produced when composite light is dispersed by a
prism or diffracted by a grating.
3. Wavelength range for visible spectral region
400 – 700 nm
4. Diffraction
The bending of light at the obstacles.

Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 32

 TABLE II
To determine the wavelengths of the prominent lines of mercury spectrum
Telescope Reading
=
Difference
Left Right
sin/m N
the lines
Color of

2
Vernier A Vernier B Vernier A Vernier B  (10-10m)

Mean
MSR

MSR

MSR

MSR

Ver

Ver
VC

CR

VC

VC
VC

CR

CR
CR

B
Violet

Blue

Green

Yellow

Orange

Red

Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 33

 5. Diffraction grating
A polished surface of glass or metal having a large number of equidistant
fine parallel grooves or slits, used to diffract a composite light into its
constituent colors.
6. Primary colors
Red, Blue and Green
7. Polychromatic source
It is source of radiation contains more than one color (wavelength).
8. Normal incidence
Adjustment is made in the mounting of grating in such a way the incident
ray falls on the grating at right angle

PROCEDURE
I. Initial Adjustments of the spectrometer
1. The telescope is turned to a white background and the eyepiece is moved
to and fro till the cross-wires are well defined.
2. The telescope is focused towards a long distant object and the screw of
the telescope is adjusted to get the inverted image of the distant object
clearly. Now the telescope has been adjusted to receive the parallel rays.
3. The telescope is brought in line with the collimator and the well defined
image of the slit illuminated by a light source is obtained by adjusting
the screw of the collimator. The width of the slit image is made narrow.
4. The spectrometer base is made horizontal by adjusting leveling screws
with the help of spirit level.
5. The level leveling screws of grating table is adjusted with the help of
spirit level to make it horizontal.

I. Setting the Grating for Normal Incidence

1. The preliminary adjustments of the spectrometer are made.
2. The telescope is brought along the direction of the collimator. The direct
reading is taken after making the vertical crosswire to coincide with the
image of the slit illuminated by the mercury source.

Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 34

 CALCULATION

Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 35

 3. The telescope is then rotated through an angle of 90o and fixed. Now the
grating is mounted on the grating table.
4. The grating table is adjusted to get the reflected image of the slit coinciding
with the crosswire in the telescope.
5. The vernier disc is released and rotated by an angle of 45 o in the
appropriate direction such that the light coming out of the collimator will
be incident normally on the grating.

III. Standardization of the grating

1. The slit is illuminated by mercury vapour lamp.
2. The telescope is released to catch the first order green line on the left side of
the direct image and the reading is noted.
3. Now the telescope is turned to the right side to catch the first order
diffracted image of green line and the reading is noted.
4. The difference between the two readings gives 2 for the first order, where
 is angle of diffraction.

IV. Determination of wavelengths of Hg spectrum

1. The central image is an undiffracted direct image. On either side of the
direct image we will get diffracted images of different colors.
2. The angles of diffraction for different colors are determined as discussed in
the standardization part.

Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 36

Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 37
 RESULT
1. The number of lines per metre length of the given grating = …………. lines/m
2. The wavelength of prominent lines of mercury spectrum is determined
using spectrometer.

APPLICATIONS
 Diffraction gratings are used for accurately measuring the wavelength of
light.
 Used as wavelength selectors for tunable lasers and beam sampling mirrors
for high power lasers.
 Used as beam splitters in optical engineering.
 Metallic gratings increase the efficiency of solar cells owing to their high
absorption coefficient.

VIVA VOCE QUESTIONS

1. Define diffraction grating.

2. Explain the term normal incidence.

3. Identify why violet spectral line is least diffracted.

4. Distinguish between diffraction and dispersion.

Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 38

Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 39
 STIMULATING QUESTIONS
1. Can we use optical grating to diffract x-rays? Justify.

2. Which type of diffraction occurs in this experiment, Fresnel or Fraunhofer?

3. What is the dimension of diffraction pattern in this experiment?

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
1. The refractive index of rulings in grating is ideally
a) 0 b) infinity c) unity d) 1.5
2. The parameter which changes if the grating is not adjusted to normal
incidence is
a) wavelength b) grating constant c) angle of diffraction
d) order of diffraction
3. The spectral lines violet I and violet II appears single line when the
a) intensity of source is less b) intensity of source is more
c) slit width is broad d) slit width is narrow

Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 40