Object. To draw normal dispersion curve by using a trometer and determine the Cauchy’s constants. Apparatus: Spectrometer, mercury lamp, prism, diffr grating, spirit-level, reading lens, reading lamp, etc. Spectrometer: It is an important laboratory instrumen used for the study of spectra produced by prisms and gratin} for the measurement of dispersive powers, wavelengths of spi tral lines and the refractive indices of solids and liquids Its essential parts are a collimator, a prism-table and a teles. cope (fig. 0). Prism table (Fig. 6) . _ _ (1) Collimator : It consists of . a _is fixed and horizontal. At one end of ae tube whose axis ging lens Z,, and at the ‘i ide it. Prism Table: It is a circul ar table provided wi ® prism (or grating) is placed. Tye et vite 2[Link] AND DIFFRACTION OF LIGHT 149 jsed to a suitable height and can alee ed along with the prism Pe table about the axis of the spectro- meter. The rotation of the table can be measured by noting the positions of the two verniers V; and Yq on a circular scale. Parallel fines and concentric circles are drawn on the platform. They help in placing the prism in the desired position. The platform is © ih provided with three * levelling screws P, Q and R (Fig. 7) while the table is provided with clamping and tangent screws. as (3) Telescope : It is a horizontal metallic tube having an ach matic convex lens ZL, at one end. At the other end it carries a short coaxial tube containing the cross-wires. Within this tupe slides another small tube containing a Ramsden’s eyepiece. Te distance between the objective and the cross-wires can be alter d by a rack and pinion arrangement, while that between the cro s- wires and the eyepiece can be altered by hand. The telescopec n be rotated about the axis of the spectrometer and is provided w th levelling screws, as well as with clamping and tangent scre s, Its position’ can be read on the circular scale (which is attached to it) by means of verniers Vi and V5. Theory : The normal dispersion curve is a graph of the refr c- tive index » of a prism of a given material against the wavelen th of light, A, in the visible region. It can be fairly-accurately repse- sented by Cauchy’s equation B wo Aties where A and B are Cauchy’s constants which are characteristic of the material of the prism. Therefore, in order to determine A { and B, we have to determine and A. for a particular wavelength} cai the angle of prism A, and the angle Produced by the prism in that wavelengt! emery oh ee . aes) sin ( oe n be determind by measu ing of minimum deviation 5m fh. The formula is Proof of this formula has been given in the beginning cf theThe proof of this formula has also been given in the begit the chapter. Adjustment of the Spectrometer : _The following adju are made in a spectrometer before use : (i) Focussing the Evepiece on the cross-wires : The tel is directed towards an illuminated surface (say, a white wall) the distance between the cross-wires and the eyepiece is altereg until the cross-wires are seen as distinct as possible. This foct the eye-piece on the cross-wir s. (ii) Focussing of Collimator and Te lescope for Parallel Lig [Schuster’s Method|—The slit of the collimator is made vertical aj narrow, and illuminated with sodium light (or mercury light), Prism is placed approximately in the position of minimum devi tion, The prism table is now rotated sl ly away from this po tion bringing the refracting edge of the prism towards the telee 8 The telescope is rotated until the refracted im (or the spectrum) becomes visible in the field of vie The telescope 18 now focussed on the image as distinctly as possible.a oe * [ON AND DIFFRACTIO: é (pISPERST IN IN OF LIGHT 151 The prism table is now rotated slightly to the other sid minimum deviation position so that tae retraotiie Glee a orale the collimator (Fig. 8 b). Now the collimator is focussed until on Jooking through the telescope the image (or spectrum) is again as distinct as possible. This process is repeated by alternately focusing the collimator and telescope until the rotations of the prism do not ‘cause the image (or spectrum) to go out of focus. When this is the case, both the collimator and the telescope are in good adjustment, the former for rendering a beam of light parallel, and the later for focussing a parallel beam of light. (iii) Adjustment of the Prism table—The platform of the prism table is made horizontal with the help of spirit-level_and_ levelling | screws P, Qand R. The prism is then placed on the platform such that the refracting edge coincides with the centre, and one of its refracting faces, say AB (Fig. 9) is perpendicular to the line joining the two screws Q and R. The slit is illuminated with sodium (or mercury) light and the prism table is rotated until the light falls equally on both the faces 4B and AC bounding the refracting angle 4. The telescope is now rotated until the image reflected from the face AB becomes visible. If the image does not lie at the centre of the field of view then the levelling screws @ and R are adjusted until the image becomes central. Next the telescope is 1otated to sce the image of the slit reflected from the face AC. This image is made central in the of view by adjusting the levelling screw P alone. When the images reflected from both the faces of the prism lie in the centre of the field of view, then the prism table is said to be optically levelled. ; Procedure: The experiment is performed in two parts: (i) one GES tism, (ii) using a grating. In the ig) Hite be tacctuce the ang sm, and the angle of minimum first part we measure the angle of pri deviations for different spectral lines. In the sure the angle of diffraction for different spectral cular order and find the grating element. Pak (ia) Measurement of Angle of Prism (A)—The 2 is lee on the prism table as in the adjustment of the prism. table ie., the refracting edge A coincides with the centre of the table and the wr, AB remains perpendicular to the line joinne the two screws Q a R(Fig. 9). The table is now rotated so that the light falls ey ily on beth the faces AB and AC bounding the refracting angle A. Prism is then clamped. E ‘ ated The slit of he spectrometer is ituminated. wits a ae ‘ (mer . telescope is rotated say, a aa ries ihe image of the slit formed by reflection second patt we mea- J Jines in a parti-att ” at one face of the prism becomes visible in the field of view, int screw the telescope is moved slowly until its ‘Ow, ewe coincides with the image Both the verniers * tt spectrometer are read. The telescope is now rotated to the left hang side and adjusted by means of the tangent screw such that the image of the slit formed by reflection at the other face of the pris coincides with the vertical cross-wire, The verniers of the Spectry, metzr are again read. Half the difference of the two readings Of the same vernier gives the refracting angle of the prism i.e, 4, (i b) Measurement of the Angle of Minimum Deviation Gays The prism is placed on the prism table such that the main axis of rotation of the instrument passes through the circumcentre of the prism, and the light dispersed through it is received in the telescope ‘e., the spectrum appears in the field of view. Now the prism table is slowly rotated in such a direction that the deviation of the rays decreases. The telescope is also rotated so as to keep the spectrum in the field of view. The rotation is Continued until the Spectrum comes to momentary rest and then returns back, The Position of the prism at which the Spectrum is just at rest is the position of minimum deviation, The prism table is clamped in this Position. The position of the telescope is so adjusted by means of the tangent screw that the intersection of the cross-wire is, turn by turn, exactly at the centre of the various spectral lines. The readings of both the verniers are noted for each line. same vernier for this position and the previous Position of the tele- scope for a particular spectral line gives the values or 8, for that ine. (ii a) Measurement of the Angle of Diffracti a - ing adjustments are made with the gratin; miei 1s i— (1) The grating is adjusted on the pri t i from the collimator falls ‘normally* on ita Tp aati ‘eee falls om 2, With the collimator so:that the dicen image of the slit falls on the intersection of the cross-wires The position of the telescope is fated. The telescope is turned through 90° from this periien an of unper, . The axis of the telescope is now perpendi- at of t gollinator, The grating is placed On the prism Surface lies centre of the table and ning the levelling screws Q and & ig. . i 4), ie, prism Muy etn ed : ss-Wires (Fig, 10 byAND DIFFRACTION OF LIGHT Collimator Incident beam Grating Grating} e R Onnn- fo Telescope at 90° —— (a) | Telescope at 0° (b) (Fig. 10) Its position is noted on any one vernier. The levelling screws Q and Rare adjusted until the image lies equally above and below the intersection of the cross-wires. Tn this position the grating surface is at 45° to the incident light. From this position the prism table is rotated through 45° in the Proper direction so that the ruled surface of the grating is normal to the incident light and faces the telescope. The prism table is clamped in this position. " _ (2) The Rulings of the grating are adjusted parallel to the axis of the spectrometer—To do this, the diffracted images of the slit (or the spectrum) are observed through the telescope. The : levelling screw P (Fig. 10 a) is now adjusted until the centres of all the diffracted images lie at the same height in the field of view. (3) The rulings are adjusted parallel to the slit— 0 do this, the slit is rotated in its own plane until the diffracted images (spec- ines) are as sharp as possible. ab - deter: t0 determine 4 for the lines whose wavelengths are ) te ined, the telescope is rotated to see those lines in the a T on either side of the direct image. The telescope is turn ns of the tangent screw so that tes in radia The telescope is then the corresponding Gn the intersection of the cross-wires, ine «eTiers are taken for each line. other side of the direct image, and ° t the same lines in the first order are a a between the two readings of the same vernichee +. ee lar line gives 20 for that line, from which 0 is found he {$ repeated for the second order. re ml ii b) Determination of the Grating Element (c. +d); Gi ined from the number of rulings per inch on the peat tiie is written ‘on the grating). If this number is N, then ' N (e-bd)== inch=2°54 om, 2°54 (e+d)==) om. ions : (1) Table for the Angle of Prism (A) : oe edet count of the spectrometer vernier=. Light reflected from the |Light reflected from the] Di fi 5 2 of two g\i[ meas wee |) | eae eS toMtein Main 5 the say 4)” | Scale | Vernier| Total | scale |Vernier| Total | vernier reading | reading|reading|reading|readingireading (24) Vernier reading in |Vernier reading | Angle of mini- - {3 o| Minimum devia- in Direct | mum deviation |,§ 4) s 528 tion position position | (8m) at \ (225 —- ae aia Se) y, Vs eee laps VY vy, | @ (6) (¢) (d) | (ame) |G-d)| S | |telescope {ing of the prism He Whee Rasta fe in order table whe en rotated through 49° Vernier AA Vernier readi for RLS, for [Link]. M4 % Spectrum Spectrum | altars Ree vy % ( (dy lot lati ah ages. Siete able is drawn for the sezond order (n= 2) spectrum. (4) No. of lines per inch on the grating N= . grating element (¢ Calculations : ‘Table c determination of j, \ and 1/28 | oie (ed) sin sISpectral) sin “759 of ist 9 of nd“ 2 EL in p=? | order | order nani forilatonen | Sale & n=2 for 2nd ore plot a graph between the refractive i nding wavelength A. The curve so obtai dispersion curve. : ee er ae | Refractive index aguinst Wave length | i Hof eevee 1 a a1 \ 3 ae z Normal Dispersion Curve 3 | 1 oO * wave length A x (ig. 11) In order to calculate the Cauchy’s constants, we plot a_ curve between ‘py’ and ‘1/” as shown in fig. 12. The curve so obtained is a straight line. Its slope gives us the constant ‘B’, and its intercept on the » axis gives the constant ‘4’. Y Hagainst Va Cauchy s constant A=OR=tol . 12 we have From fig AmORM 0 scm’, Results: (1) The curve for normat dispersion is represented a the graph plotted between « and A, of Q2) The values of Cauchy’s constants obtained from graph ta WNT: r -cm?’, Precautions : (1) The adjustment of the spectrometer should be done svste- matically. The collimator and the telescope should be adjusted for parallel rays and the prism table should be levelled mechani- cally as well as optically. (2) The slit should be vertical and narrow and uniformly illuminated along its length. (3) The ruled surface of the grating should face the telescope and should be normal to the incident light. (4) The readings of both the verniers should be noted and the difference of the readings should be taken for the same vernier, (5) The surface of the prism or the grating should not be touched with fingers, - Criticism—The Cauchy’s equation does not exactly agree with the experimental normal dispersion curve, It is in fact an approxi- mation to ‘Sellmeier’s equation’ given by Ayr =| Teese where a, and A, are two constants, the latter being the wavelength mvacuum, This equation gives a more accurate representation of # iM Tegions far from absorption bands than does the Cauchy quation with same number of constants, If the Cauchy’s formula is taken to three or four terms, it rep- Tesents the experimental facts more accurately but proves unsatis- factory when applied to the region of infra-red. It also fails to account for the anomalous dispersion.