EXPERIMENT 4

OBJECT: To determine the resolving power of a plane transmission grating.

APPARATUS: Spectrometer, micrometer slit, sodium vapour lamp, prism, plane

transmission grating, reading lens and reading lens and reading lamp.

FORMULA USED: The resolving power of the grating is given by

Resolving power =

d x

= average value of the wavelength of two lines

d = wavelength difference of the two lines
x = width of the micrometer slit for just resolving the two lines
W = total width of the ruled surface

PROCEDURE: Mount the grating in its holder and fix it on the prism table in such a
way that the rulings are parallel to the slit of the collimator. Set the grating perpendicular
to the incident beam of light. Mount the micrometer slit in front of the collimator by
keeping its edges parallel to the grating, with the help of three screws provided with it.
Create a wide opening at the micrometer slit by way of increasing its width. Displace the
telescope to its either side in order to receive the spectrum of the sodium in the first order.
If the two lines are not resolved, then achieve it by reducing the width of the slit of the
collimator. Now, concentrate on the two D lines. Decrease the width of the micrometer
slit. In doing so the two yellow lines will become less distinct and at a particular width of
the micrometer slit the two lines will just merge into a single line. Note the readings of
the micrometer slit under this condition. On further reducing the width of the micrometer
slit a condition will be noticed at which the field of view of the telescope will be
completely dark. Note the reading of the micrometer slit under the condition. The
difference in the two reading of the micrometer slit in the two conditions gives the value
of x, the optimum width of the grating for just resolving the two D lines. Repeat the
process several times in order to get a more accurate value of x. Turn the telescope in

order to obtain the spectrum in the second order. You will observe that the two lines in
this order are less intense and wider as compared to that of the first order. By following
the above procedure determine the optimum width x ' of the grating for just resolving the
two lines in the second order. Repeat the process several times in order to get a more
accurate value of x ' the width of the slit in the second order.
OBSERVATIONS:
Width of the ruled surface of the grating W = cm.
Least count of the micrometer slit = cm.
Order of
spectrum
S.N

CALCULATION:

Micrometer reading
(cm)
When the When the Appropriate
lines
are field of view Value
of Mean value
becomes
just
width
dark
resolved
x = a~b
(a)

(b)

1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5

average = 5893 , d =6 (For sodium D lines), x = cm.

Resolving power in the first order. =

av W

d x
=

5893 W

6
x

Resolving power in the second order =

5893 W

x
6

PROBABLE ERROR: Resolving power P is given by

av W
K
=
P = d x a b
Where K= av W/d is constant, a and b are the micrometer slit readings, in the two
conditions. Taking logarithm of both sides of this equation and differentiating it for
maximum probable error we get
dP da + db
=
P
ab

Note that
da =db =dx =least count of the micrometer slit
=
dP

2 Pdx
= ...
ab

RESULT: The resolving power of grating

= ... for frist order

=... or second order

SOURCES OF ERROR AND PRECAUTIONS:

1. The mechanical and optical, adjustments of the spectrometer are to be made
carefully.
2. The micrometer slit should be kept parallel to the spectrometer slit and should be
attached to the collimator.
3. The condition of just resolution of two lines should be obtained carefully.
4. Micrometer slit should be moved in one direction.