Determination of Cauchy’s constant

AIM: To determine the values of Cauchy’s constant a and b

APPARATUS: Mercury source, Spectrometer, Prism, Reading lens, Light source etc
PROCEDURE: Part-A: The preliminary adjustments of the spectrometer
a) The spectrometer is made leveling using the sprit level
b) The telescope of the spectrometer is adjusted for the parallax arrangement by focusing to the distant object.
c) Collimator slit is made narrow by adjusting the slit adjusting screw.
d) All the components of the spectrometer are arranged in straight line and placed such that the collimator is
facing towards the mercury source.
Part -B: Determination of angle of Prism
Prism is placed on the prism table such that refracting edge facing towards the slit and it get deviated through
the two refracting faces as shown in figure 1. The corresponding reading is noted by focusing to the line
named as R1 and R2. The angle of prism is calculated using the formula
Part -C: Setting of minimum deviation position and calculation of refractive index
a) The telescope brought in line with collimator to observer fine line of white light.
b) The prism is mounted on prism table such that one of the refractingedge is facing towards the slit. Now the
telescopeis rotated towards the base of the prism till the spectral lines are observed.
c) Once the spectral lines are observed the movement of telescope is stopped, the prism table is rotated towards
the telescope till the spectral lines in the observation get reversed.
d) Now focus the telescope to a particular spectral line (yellow-2, yallow-1, green, blue and violet) record the
corresponding reading (R) using the one of the verneir scale.
e) Finally the telescope is brought in line with collimator to see white light and the corresponding reading (R0) is
noted.
f) The angle of minimum deviation is noted using 𝐷 = 𝑅 ~ 𝑅0
𝐴+𝐷
𝑆𝑖𝑛( )
2
g) The refractive index of the material of the prism for each colour is calculated using the relation.𝜇 = 𝐴
𝑆𝑖𝑛 ( )
2
𝜇𝐵 − 𝜇𝑔 𝑏
h) The cauchy’s constant are calculated using the relation 𝑏= 1 1 and 𝑎 = 𝜇𝐵 − 𝜆2
− 𝐵
𝜆2
𝑏 𝜆2
𝑔
1
i) The graph is plotted between refractive index along Y-axis and 𝜆2 along the X- axis , the slope of the straight
𝑏
line gives the cauchy’s constant value b. and 𝑎 = 𝜇𝐵 − 𝜆2
𝐵

Result : The values of cauchy’s constant are found to be I) By calculation b=………………………m 2

a=……………………..

II) By graphically b=………………………m2

a=……………………..
Ray diagram

OBSERVATION:

𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 𝑜𝑓 1𝑀𝑆𝐷 0.50 30′

𝐿𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟 = = = = 1′
𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑜 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑒𝑟 30 30
𝑅1 ~ 𝑅2
To find angle of prism 𝐴 = 2

Reading of the telescope turned through 900: R2= R1 +900

Order of spectrum, n=1

Reading of vernier after turned through 450: R3= R2-450

TABULAR COLUMN:

Spectrometer reading Angle of 𝐴+𝐷

Colour of the (R0) 𝑆𝑖𝑛 ( ) Wave length 1
× 1012 𝑚2
2
deviation 𝜇= 𝐴 𝜆 in A0
spectral line MSR deg CVD TR deg deg 𝑆𝑖𝑛 ( ) 𝜆2
D=R0 ~ R 2

Red
Yellow
Green
Blue
Violet
Calculation :