Diffraction Grating
Diffraction Grating
Object: To find the wavelength of white light with the help of a plane transmission diffraction
grating.
Apparatus required: A diffraction grating, spectrometer, mercury vapour lamp, reading lens and
sprit level.
Formula used: The wavelength of any spectral lines can be calculated by the formula:
sin
sin
Procedure: The following initial adjustments of the spectrometer and the grating are made first.
• The spectrometer and the prism table are arranged in horizontal position by using the leveling
screws.
• The telescope is turned towards a distant object to receive a clear and sharp image.
• The slit is illuminated by a mercury vapour lamp and the slit and the collimator are suitably
adjusted to receive a narrow, vertical image of the slit.
• The telescope is turned to receive the direct ray, so that the vertical slit coincides with the
vertical crosswire. The readings of one vernier are noted. The vernier table is firmly clamped.
• Now, the telescope is rotated through 90° and is fixed in this position. The grating is mounted
vertically on the prism table with its ruled surface facing the collimator. The vernier table is
released and is slowly rotated till the reflected image coincides with the vertical crosswire.
• The leveling screws are adjusted so that the image is at the centre of the field of view of the
telescope. The prism table is fixed and after making fine adjustments with the tangential screw,
the readings of the vernier are noted. Now, the angle of incidence is 45° (Figure 1).
• The vernier table is then released and rotated exactly through 45° (or 135°) in the proper
direction so that the surface of the grating becomes normal to the incident light. The vernier
table is firmly clamped in this position.
• The telescope is then released and is brought to observe the direct image.
Figure 2 Orders and spectrum obtain visible through the diffraction grating.
Observations:
I. The wavelength of various spectral lines in the first order (n = 1) can be calculated by
sin
sin
1
sin
2