PHYS 1000/1033 Lab Report Template

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SURNAME: NAIDOO STUDENT: 2654751

FIRST NAME TRISUN

DATE: 22/10/2023

TITLE: DIFFRACTION GRATING

• INTRODUCTION

• AIMS & OBJECTIVES

To use a Spectrometer to measure the wavelengths of certain lines in the spectrum of a mercury
lamp, using the methods of finding Minimum deviation and normal incidence

• RESULTS & CALCULATIONS

➢ Calculation of d:

𝑑(𝑚)
3.33 × 10−6

TABLE 1: Calculation of the spacing d between the slits (lines) on the grating, given that there are
300 lines/mm of the grating used.

➢ METHOD 1: Normal incidence

Calculated
Angle (°)
wavelength
1 1 1
Color θL (± 240) θR (± 240) θav (± 240) λ ±𝑒𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 (nm)

Purple 7.9333 6.2500 7.0917 411.53 ± 2 × 10−6

Green 10.142 8.6000 9.3710 542.76 ± 3 × 10−6
Yellow-1 10.500 8.7500 9.6250 557.33 ± 3 × 10−6
Yellow-2 10.833 9.2500 10.041 581.18 ± 3 × 10−6
Red 11.333 9.8250 10.579 611.97 ± 3 × 10−6

TABLE 2: Angles measured for diffracted beams and their corresponding calculated wavelengths obtained
by the method of normal incidence.
 ➢ METHOD 2: Minimum deviation

Calculated
❖ Angle (°)
wavelength
Color 1 1
Undeviated (± ) Deviated (± ) 𝐷𝑚 1
(± 240) λ ±𝑒𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 (nm)
240 240
2
Purple 169.67 158.17 5.7500 601.13 ± 3 × 10−6
Green 158.00 171.50 6.7500 705.23 ± 4 × 10−6
Yellow-1 172.00 168.67 1.6650 174.33 ± 1 × 10−6
Yellow-2 168.60 164.50 2.0500 214.63 ± 1 × 10−6
Red 170.00 161.28 2.1800 228.23 ± 1 × 10−6

TABLE 3: Angles measured for the undeviated and deviated beams and the wavelengths of the lines
(diffracted beams) determined using the method of minimum deviation.

• ERROR ANALYSIS

Show how errors in Tables 1 and 2 are calculated. Do this for only two lines (purple and red) on each set

Table 1
Purple and Red:

• 𝜆𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑡 = 𝑑 sin 𝜃𝑎𝑣 , 𝜆𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 𝑑 sin( 𝜃𝑎𝑣 − ∆𝜃) , 𝜆𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 𝑑 sin( 𝜃𝑎𝑣 + ∆𝜃)
• ∆𝜆𝑚𝑖𝑛 = |𝜆𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑡 − 𝜆𝑚𝑖𝑛 | , ∆𝜆𝑚𝑎𝑥 = |𝜆𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑡 − 𝜆𝑚𝑎𝑥 |
• ∆𝜆𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑡 = ||𝜆𝑚𝑎𝑥 | − |𝜆𝑚𝑖𝑛 ||
• ∴ ∆𝜆𝑝𝑢𝑟𝑝𝑙𝑒 = ±2 × 10−6 𝑛𝑚 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ∆𝜆𝑟𝑒𝑑 = ±3 × 10−6 𝑛𝑚

Table 2
Purple and Red:
1 1 1
• 𝜆𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑡 = 2𝑑 sin 2 𝐷𝑚 , 𝜆𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 2𝑑 sin(2 𝐷𝑚 − ∆𝐷𝑚 ) , 𝜆𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 2𝑑 sin(2 𝐷𝑚 + ∆𝐷𝑚 )
• ∆𝜆𝑚𝑖𝑛 = |𝜆𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑡 − 𝜆𝑚𝑖𝑛 | , ∆𝜆𝑚𝑎𝑥 = |𝜆𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑡 − 𝜆𝑚𝑎𝑥 |
• ∆𝜆𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑡 = ||𝜆𝑚𝑎𝑥 | − |𝜆𝑚𝑖𝑛 ||
• ∴ ∆𝜆𝑝𝑢𝑟𝑝𝑙𝑒 = ±3 × 10−6 𝑛𝑚 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ∆𝜆𝑟𝑒𝑑 = ±1 × 10−6 𝑛𝑚

• DISCUSSION
The method of normal incidence was easy to implement and apply, while the method of
Minimum deviation was confusing and very hard to implement because the continuous changing
of the telescope and vernier table allowed for many errors.
• CONCLUSION
For the method of Normal Incidence, the error between the calculated values from this
experiment and the values in accepted literature is most likely due to little systemic error or user
error, since the difference is relatively small. For the method of Minimum Deviation, there were
too many user errors and some systemic errors during the implementation errors, which caused a
relatively large difference between those values and the values in accepted literature.

• QUESTIONS

1. Explain briefly why the ruled lines must coincide with the centre of the table and must face the telescope.
(Hint: consider the effect on the results if this was not the case).

It would give us the wavelength for orders of spectra that we were not looking for since the angle
between the diffraction grating and telescope would have been much large due to zero error.

2. Suppose that you are given a monochromatic light source of wavelength 600 nm, and a diffraction
grating with 500 lines.mm−1. How many full orders will be visible for a normal incidence experiment?
(Hint: the maximum possible angle for diffraction is 90°).

𝑛𝜆 < 𝑑 sin 90°

𝑛 < 3.33 × 106

3. For the above experimental setup the angles of minimum deviation were found for all visible orders.
How many orders should be visible in this experiment? (Hint: decide on the maximum angle of
deviation).

𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑓 max 𝑑𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛: 𝐷𝑚 = 45°

𝑛𝜆 < 2𝑑 sin(1⁄2 𝐷𝑚 )
𝑛 < 2.55 × 106

4. A certain color emerges at 15° in the first-order spectrum. At what angle would this same color emerge
in the second order if the same source and grating are used?

• 𝜆 = 𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑛(15°) … (1), 2𝜆 = 𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝜃) … (2)

• 𝑠𝑢𝑏 (1)𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 (2)𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒:
• 𝜃 = 31°
5. Discuss which of the two methods should be more accurate for a specific order. Use a complete error
analysis to back up your answer.