Apparatus :Spectrometer, mercury lamp, prism, spirit level, table lamp, lens, etc.

Formula:The refractive index of the material of the prism for the given color
wavelength is given by

m
2
A
sin ( )
2

sin A+
=

Where
A = Angle of the prism
m = Angle of minimum deviation for the given wavelength(color) of light.

Procedure:The experiment is preformed in the following three parts:(A) Adjustment of the spectrometer, (B) Measurement of the angle of the
prism, (C) Measurement of the angle of minimum deviation.
(A)

Mechanical and optical adjustment of the spectrometer:-

Before using spectrometer, the following adjustment are made (i) Focusing
the eyePiece on the cross wires, (ii) Focusing the telescope and collimator for
parallel light ( Schusters method), (iii) Adjustment of the prism table
(i)

(ii)

Focusing the eye-piece on the cross wires:- The telescope is turned

cross-wires and the eyepiece is adjusted until the cross wires are
distinctly visible. This focuses the eyepiece on the cross wires.
Focusing the telescope and collimator for parallel light (Schusters
method):- The slit of the collimator is made vertical an narrow, and
illuminated with mercury light. The prism is placed approximately in
the position of minimum deviation. The prism table is now rotated
slightly away from this position bringing the refractive edge of the
prism towards the telescope. The telescope is rotated until the
refracted image (or the spectrum) becomes visible in the field of
view. The telescope is now focused on the image as distinctly as

(iii)

possible. The prism table is now rotated slightly to the other side of
the minimum deviation position so that the refracting edge goes
towards the collimator. Now the collimator is focused until on
looking 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 case,
both the collimator and the telescope are later for focusing a
parallel beam of light.
Adjustment of the prism table:- The platform of the prism table is
made horizontal with the help of spirit-level and leveling screws
P,Q, and 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 is perpendicular to the line joining the two screws Q
and R. the slit is illuminated with Sodium light and the prism table is
rotated until the light falls equally on both the faces AB and AC
bounding the refracting angle A. The telescope is now rotated until
the image is reflected from the face AB becomes visible. If the
image does not lie at the centre of the field of view then the
leveling screws Q and R are adjusted until the image becomes
central.
Next the telescope is rotated to see the image of the slit
reflected from the face
AC. This image is made central in the field of view by adjusting
the leveling screw P alone. If 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 leveled.

(B) Measurement of the angle of prism :Place the prism on the prism table in such away that the refracting
edge A coincides with the centre of the table and one of the refracting
or polished face (say AB) remains perpendicular to the line joining the
two screws Q and R.
Now, rotate the prism table to bring the refracting edge A of the prism
towards
The collimator so that the light from the collimator falls equally on both
the faces
AB and AC bounding the refracting angle A. the prism table is then
clamped.
Determine the least count of the spectrometer.
Rotate the telescope to the right side to receive the light reflected from
the face

AB and focus the cross wire on the image of the slit. Now, by tangent
screw, the
Telescope is moved slowly until its vertical cross-wire coincides with
the image.
The readings of the two verniers of the spectrometer are taken.
Now, rotate the telescope to the left side to receive the light reflected
from the
Face AC and again, focus the cross wire on the image of the slit by
means of the
Tangent screw. The reading of the two verniers are again noted.
The difference of the two readings of the same vernier for two position
of the