PATON HAWKSLEY EDUCATION LTD

DIFFRACTION GRATING DEMONSTRATION SLIDE 

PRODUCT CODE (TE 214)

* Glass slides measure 90 x 30 mm with three different rulings of 100, 300 and 600 lines per mm
* The ruling apertures are approx. 16 x 9 mm
* The gratings are of spectroscopic type, an excellent way of demonstrating the effect of different line frequencies, either by casual viewing or by inclusion in a simple optical system.

The side-by-side diffraction gratings on this slide make it easy to investigate diffraction patterns and the relationship between line spacing and angle of diffraction.

Suggested uses of the Educational Diffraction Grating:

1.   Look at various light sources through the gratings and examine the spectra.  Which colours of light are difracted to the greatest angles?  How does the shape and orientation of the light source affect the pattern?

2.   Using a line-filament light source, compare the diffraction patterns produced the three gratings.  By looking through two gratings at once (centreing your eye on the division), you can directly compare two patterns.  How does the angle of diffraction vary with the line spacing of the grating?  repeat the observations with a colour filter between the light source and the grating. 

3.  Examine the spectra of various spectral light sources.  Show students how an element can be "fingerprinted", allowing scientists to analyse the composition of unknown materials, and even to determine the composition of stars.