Physics Online Diffraction

Introduction Diffraction occurs when light waves interfere with each other. A diffraction grating consists of a thin piece of opaque glass or plastic with a pattern of equally-spaced, transparent slits. If a beam of monochromatic light (that is, light of only one wavelength) is incident on a diffraction grating at !", then a series of bright and dar# bands (called fringes) will emerge. $he location of the bright bands is given by %nell&s law of diffraction' d*sin() = m* (m = 0, 1, 2,....).

$he variable d is the distance between the centers of the grooves in the diffraction grating, is the angle between the line connecting the center of the grating and the bright band and the line perpendicular to the grating, m is the order of the band, and is the wavelength of the light. (otice that the angle of diffraction depends on the wavelength. )ed light (longer wavelength) is diffracted through a larger angle than blue light (shorter wavelength). $his means that a diffraction grating can spread polychromatic light (that is, light of more than one wavelength) into its component colors. $his turns out to be very useful because most natural light sources emit light of more than one color. $he color content (or wavelength) of light is called its spectrum. $he spectrum is directly related to the structure of the atoms and molecules that produced it. $herefore, spectral measurements are very useful to physicists. A device capable of measuring the spectrum of a light source is called a spectrometer. *ne way to ma#e a spectrometer is by using a diffraction grating as discussed above. Another way is by using a glass prism which operates on the basis of refraction. $here are also many other ways to ma#e a spectrometer. $he purpose of this lab is to test %nell&s law of diffraction. Equipment You Procure fluorescent or gas tubes (you don+t need to buy them, ,ust find them) Equipment from Kits spectroscope (the scale on the spectroscope is in -!!s of nm) E periment!" Procedures Polychromatic Light -) Aim the spectroscope at light coming from outside. Do not aim your spectroscope at the sun. /) )ecord the wavelength of the upper limit (rusty red) of the continuous spectrum produced by white light from an outdoor source.

0) )ecord the wavelength of the lower limit (deep purple) of the continuous spectrum produced by white light. 1) 2ompare your results to the accepted values of appro3imately 1!! and 4!! nm. (ote that the human vision system can sense light with wavelengths of 0-/ nm and -!5! nm, but the sensitivity is -6-!!! that of the normal range. -

Emission Spectrum -) 7se your spectroscope to view the emission spectrum of a fluorescent or gas tube. )ecord the location of this tube if it is in a public place. /) )ecord the wavelength for each prominent line. 0) 2ompare your list of wavelengths to the following table and attempt to identify the element or elements present./ 1) If your list does not match that one of the elements in the table, then consult the following web site' http'66physics.nist.gov68hys)efData69andboo#6atomic:number.htm (clic# on a suspected element, then clic# on the lin# ;strong lines< near the top of the page). 5) )epeat steps - through 1 with a different tube. E"ement
9elium

#!$e"en%t& (nm)
0==. 114.5!-.@ 5=4.@ @@4.= 4!@.5 1-!.! 101.! 1=@.@5@.0 1/4.1 to 1=1.4 554.! 5=4.! 105.= 51@.5@4.5 to 5=!.0

'o"or
>iolet Indigo Areen Bellow-*range )ed Dar# )ed >iolet Indigo Cight Dlue )ed Dlue Bellow-Areen *range Indigo Bellow-Areen Bellow

'omment
?aint

9ydrogen

?aint ?aint / lines %pread

Erypton Fercury

5 lines

(eon is a case where the lines are so rich that it is more the absence of certain colors rather than the presence of specific lines that gives away its presence. $his is in the range of 1 ! to 50! nm.
- 9echt, 8hysics, 0rd edition, =!! / Geast, 2)2 9andboo# of edition, 2)2, - =! $homson Droo#s62ole, /!!0, pg. 8hysics and 2hemistry, @!th