Diffraction Spectrometry, Fall 2001

Group I

A study of Hydrogen, Helium, Nitrogen, Neon in excitation was conducted. This data was collected using a rotating arm spectrograph. The spectrograph data was drawn in the first node diffraction pattern from both the left and the right of the centerline of the grating. An average of the data was collected. The resulting angle was used to calculate the frequency of the escaping gamma.

Materials-

1. Rotating arm spectrograph
2. Excitation rig and voltage rheostat
3. 600 mm^-1 grating
4. Gas element cathode tubes

Experimental errors- Experimental errors occurring during the data collection were as follows.

1. Fluorescent light leaking into separation causing illumination and filling voided spectra.
2. Although for each element one single observer was used. Separate observers were used for separate elements. Resulting in several observed spectra in disagreement.
3. A level was not used to install the spectrograph resulting in the grating separation at an angle.
4. Several spectra were blurry, toward the red-orange range in particular, making measurement estimations accuracy questionable.