Camelia M Petre

PHEN 310: Optics

Fall 2010

Lab 4: Spectrometer
Introduction
Optical spectroscopy is a common method to analyze the composition of light
from unknown sources. The analysis is based on the different diffraction of light on a grid or a
prism. Dispersion of the beam of white light into its primary colours by means of a glass prism is
due to the refractive index of the glass.

Prisms
When light is transmitted through a prism refraction can be observed. The light beam will be
redirected depending on the index of refraction n of the material, which depends on the
wavelength of the initial light. By this means, white light is split up into components and the
angle of refraction is dependent on the angle of the initial beam relative to the prism.
When the beam is parallel to the basis of the prism, the minimum value for the refraction angle
is achieved. Depending on the angle of the prism and the total refraction angle, the index of
refraction is calculated as follows:

α+δ
α 1=
2

α
α 2=
2

And δ =D m −Cm , α is the set angle of the prism.

After aligning the spectrometer, the following measurements were effectuated for obtaining
the index of refraction of this prism.

Trial Number Cm (L side) (degrees) Dm (R side) (degrees)

1 50.7 231.4 1.6 181.6
2 50.7 230.6 1.5 181.5
3 50.5 230.5 1.6 181.6
Average 50.63 230.83 1.56 181.56

Therefore δ =−48.8, and the index of refraction of the prism is calculated with Snell’s Law as
follows:

n0 sin ⁡α 1
n= , where n0 is the index of refraction of air equal to 1.
sin α 2
Thus, n = 1.626.
Grids

The angular position of the lines in the hydrogen spectrum were measured by means of
mounting the diffraction prism in a centered position and using the hydrogen spectrum as a
light source. The diffraction of light at a grid leads to one maximum, the 0th order and several
other higher order maxima. This can be explained by Heugens’ principle and the interference of
light, both constructive and destructive. The refraction depending on wavelength is related to
the sine of the angle as follows:
n a sinθ=zλ
Where na is the grid constant and z is the diffraction order (equaling 1,2,3,…).
For na=1666.508, the following angles were experimentally determined:
θ1=15.4 °
θ2=17.2 °
θ3 =23.6 °
Thus, the wavelength was calculated by the above equation to be λ ¿=442.5 nm,
λ ¿=492.8 nm, λ ¿=667.2 nm.

Determining the Rydberg constant

With the above calculated wavelengths, a value for the Rydberg constant was determined.
The formula for determining the Rydberg constant is

1
R=
1 1
λ( 2
− 2)
n1 n2
Using 3=667.2 nm and n1 =2, n2 =3 we obtain a value
λ
1
R= =1.079(107 )m−1
1 1
667.2(10−9)( 2 − 2 )
2 3

Conclusion
Determining the refractive index of the prism lead to relatively accurate results. Our
measurements resulted into values with relatively low error, which is most certainly due to
accurate readings of the angles from the spectrometer. The wavelengths found were also
relatively accurate, falling within the accepted range for Blue (435 – 500 nm), Cyan (500 – 520
nm), and Red ( 625 – 740 nm). Our experimentally determined Rydberg constant was
1.079(107 )m−1, and the accepted value is actually 1.097(107 ) m−1. However, the error involved
is 1.67%, very small. Therefore, our measurements were relatively accurate and we were able
to accomplish the aims of this lab.