DETERMINE THE INDEX OF REFRACTION OF GLASS USING

A PRISM SPECTROMETER

I. OBJECTIVES
 Learn the theory of the prism spectrometer, and be able to explain the functions of its
various components.
 Determine the index of refraction of a glass prism for various wavelengths.
 Use the calibrated prism to measure unknown wavelengths.
II. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
A prism is a device that is used to controllably refract light. It typically is made of high
quality glass, with an index of refraction near 1.5. The index changes with wavelength and so
different wavelengths are refracted by different angles. This is called dispersion, and the theory
of dispersion is typically covered in a course in electricity and magnetism or physical optics. The
Cauchy Theory of dispersion says that to second order in wavelength the index can be written as
B
n≈ A+ 2 (1)
λ
Prism dispersion is useful for spectroscopy, splitting a beam of light by wavelength1

Figure 1: Dispersion angle  for a ray passing through a prism of apex angle A.

Most prisms used in spectroscopy have apex angles of A = 60 o. A ray that hits the prism is
deviated by a total deviation angle . If we rotate the prism, we will find that the angle of
deviation has a minimum, and for that minimum we can express the index of refraction as
A+Dmin
sini sin ( 2 )
n= = A
(2)
sinr sin ( 2 )

You will use a high precision spectrometer illustrated in Figure 2. Light from a lamp
passes through a slit into a collimator that makes the incoming light emerge as a plane wave
beam. The light hits the prism and is defected through an angle of deviation that can be measured
on the Angular Scale. The telescope focuses the light onto the image plane of the eyepiece. An
image of crosshairs is also focused onto the image plane. The telescope can also be locked or
moved very slowly by a fine adjustment screw and the instrument is provided with a heavy base
for stability. To obtain sharp spectral lines the slit width should be quite small, about 0.1-0.3
mm.

Figure 2: Prism Spectrometer

You will always adjust the prism table for the angle of minimum deviation for the
particular wavelength being observed, and then read the angle using the vernier scale. You will
be able to measure to the nearest minute of arc (1o = 60’). Figure 3 shows the vernier and main
scales.
The top scale (0 to 30’) is the vernier, and the bottom scale is the main scale (0 to 360o).
First read the main scale where the 0 mark of the vernier is. Here it is between 40.5o and 41o, or
in terms of minutes, between 40o30’ and 41o00’. Now look to see which mark on the vernier
matches a main scale line exactly this is a judgment call, especially with this image, but I would
say about 12’. The angle is then the sum of the main scale and the vernier, 40o42’ = 40,70o.

Figure 3: Angular vernier scale. Bottom main scale in degrees, top vernier scale in minutes.
The reading shown is 40,5o + 12’ = 40o42’ = 40,70o = 0,7103 rad

There are a number of adjustments that can be made on the spectrometer, but only a few
concern you. To rotate the telescope, make sure that the knob at the center base is loose, then just
rotate. If the center screw is locked, the other screw on the base makes fine adjustments.
You will have a prism on the prism table, held in place by a spring clamp. Once you are
happy with the prism placement, be careful to avoid changing the prism location. There are 3
leveling screws for the prism stage, but these should be properly set and not need adjustment.
The prism table can be rotated and raised or lowered. A locking ring fixes the vertical height of
the prism table, and should be left in place. There is a screw that locks the prism table from
movement. If this is loose the prism table can be rotated and raised or lowered.
 At the source end is the collimator, with a screw that adjusts the slit width. Springs work to
pull the knife edges apart, and these may be a bit balky due to corrosion. The telescope eyepiece
can be moved in or out to focus the crosshairs on the slit image.
III. PROCEDURE
a. Align the spectrometer
In order to correctly measure angles with the spectrometer, we must first align it. To do so,
use the following steps:
i) Telescope focus : Do not put the prism onto the silver table yet. That will come later.
Notice that there are two knobs associated with the telescope. They are located directly under the
telescope barrel. One points along the barrel and one is perpendicular to it. The knob that is
along the barrel will lock the telescope’s position and will prevent it from rotating. When it is
locked down in this way, you can use the other knob for a fine adjustment, to rotate it by very
small amounts. If the telescope is not unlocked, turn the knob that is parallel to the barrel
counterclockwise until you can freely rotate the telescope.
Turn the telescope so that it is not pointing at the collimator but is instead aimed at
something as far away from you in the room as possible. Now rotate the focus adjustment (see
diagram on page 5) until you can see through the telescope clearly. You may notice that the
image is upside down. This is normal. Just ensure that it is as clear and in focus as you can.
After this adjustment, you should not adjust the focus of the telescope again.
ii) Telescope alignment: Now place a white light (desk lamp) in front of the slit on the end
of the collimator. Now rotate the telescope until it is pointed at the collimator. You should
imagine a straight line going from the lamp through the collimator, and through the telescope. By
looking through the telescope, you should be able to line up the crosshair with the slit in the far
end of the collimator. By locking down the telescope and using the fine adjustment (the knob
perpendicular to the one that you used to lock down the telescope) you should be able to do this
very accurately. If you are unable to see the slit, it may be closed too tightly. You can widen and
narrow the slit by rotating the adjuster on the collimator (it is located on the far end of the
collimator, much like the focus for the telescope). This will adjust the slit width, but will not
focus the slit. If the slit does not have very crisp edges when you look through the telescope,
move the end of the collimator near the lamp in and out to focus it. If your slit is not vertical in
the telescope, you can also rotate it so that it is. Once you have a nice thin, well-focused slit, with
your crosshairs centered on it and your telescope locked down, you are now ready to align the
scales to read the angle.
iii) Angle adjustment: If you look below the set of knobs that control the telescope, you
will see another pair of knobs that look identical to the ones for the telescope. These knobs
perform the same functions (locking down and fine adjustment) for the black table itself. If you
unlock the black table, you can rotate it. Notice that there are two windows in which you can
read an angle. We want to rotate the table until one of the windows has 0 (zero) lined up with 0
(zero) or 360 (since a circle is 360 degrees, 360 is the same as 180. If at all possible, we should
try to use set it so that this window is to the left of the telescope (as we are looking over the
barrel toward the lamp) because this will make reading our angle easiest. (please have a look at
the diagram on page 5) On some scopes there is a small magnifier attached to the black table
over one window, and this would also be advantageous to use. Once you have aligned them, you
will lock down the black table and will not rotate it again. From now on, we will only rotate
the telescope .
b. Measure the prism angle A
Measure the prism angle A. Figure 4 should be self-explanatory. Use white light so that
you have a bright white reflection on each side. Repeat the measurements so that you can get an
uncertainty in the prism angle.
The parallel beam from the callimator will reflect on two sides of the prism. Rotate the
telescope to recive the reflected beam at position 1, so that the image of slot K apears on the
crosshair of the telescope, read A1. Keep the callimator, rotate the telescope to position 2, read
the value A2.
Record the values of A1 and A2 into the table 1.
The prism apex angle is:
A2 − A1
A= (3)
2
Repeat your measurement five times to determine the average value of A.
c. Angle of minimum deviation Dmin
Put a filter on the end of the callimator to create a monochromatic light source. Place the
prism on the table P, so that the refraction edge of the prim is near the center of the table P.
Rotate the table P so that the light
from the callimator C come to the side of the
prism at an angle of about 60o (figure 5).
Rotate the telescope to see the image
of slot K as a monochromatic line.
Rotate the prism table P, so that the
angle of minimum deviation D becomes
smaller, looking at the telescope we see that
the light rotates to the right. If you rotate Fig. 5. Finding the Dmin.

slowly the prism table P, you will see the light moves, then stop and start translating in the
opposite direction if you continue to rotate the prism table P.
Keep the prism table P at the position where the light changes direction, then rotate the
telescope to the position so that the crosshair coincides with the image of slot K. That is the
position corresponding to the angle of minimum deviation, read the angle D1.
Then rotate both the prism table P and the telescope to the mirror position of its former
position versus the incident light. Place the table P at the position where the light slot changes
the direction. Rotate the telescope to the position where the crosshair coincides with the light
slot. Read angle D2.
Record the values of D1 and D2 into table 2.
The angle of minimum deviation:
D2 − D1
Dmin = (6)
2
Repeat the measurement five times to find the error of Dmin.
d. Analysis
1. Results of measurement of the prism apex angle A.
 Times A1 A2 A A ∆A
1
2
3
4
5
Table 1. Measurement of the prism apex angle A.
The final of the prism apex angle A: A = A ± ∆A
2. Minimum angle of deviation Dmin.
Times D1 D2 Dmin Dmin ∆Dmin
1
2
3
4
5

Table 2. Measurement of the minimum angle of deviation Dmin.

Value of minimum angle of deviation: Dmin = Dmin ± ∆Dmin
3. Calculate the index of refraction of prism (n).
+ Replace Dmin and A into the formular (2) to determine n.

+ Replace ∆Dmin and ∆A into the formular (2) to find ∆n.

+ The value of the index of refraction n. n = n ± ∆n
IV. QUESTION
1. Why do you use the white light in the measurement of the prism apex angle A and the
monochromatic light in finding the angle of minimum deviation?
2. Explain the method to find the angle of minimum deviation (Find the position where the
light slot changes the direction while rotating the prism table).