Diffraction grating: orders, dispersion and resolving power
Shine laser or white light on a grating with N lines per mm and see sharp principal maxima, missing orders and the angular dispersion.
About this experiment
| Subject | Physics |
|---|---|
| Class | 12 |
| Chapter | 10. Wave Optics |
| NCERT section | 10.5 |
| Level | Advanced (JEE / Olympiad) |
| Time | about 14 minutes |
| Access | Included in a PractiSci plan |
What you do in the lab
Change the controls and watch the physics behave in real time in 3D. Live readouts and graphs show the numbers behind it, and the Learn tab has the theory, procedure, observations and viva questions. Works on a phone or a laptop, in English and Hindi.
Topics: diffraction grating · spectra · resolving power · dispersion
More from this chapter
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- Huygens' principle: reflection and refraction of wavefronts
- Newton's rings: radius of curvature and wavelength
- Polarisation, Malus' law and Brewster angle
- Resolving power and the Rayleigh criterion
- Single slit diffraction
- Thin film interference: soap film, oil film and anti-reflection coating
- Young's double slit experiment