Spectroscope for teaching

• Grant number: 02/07874-1
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: July 01, 2003
• End date: June 30, 2006
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - General Physics
• Principal Investigator: Yoshikazo Ernesto Nagai
• Grantee: Yoshikazo Ernesto Nagai
• Company: Optron Micromecânica Óptica Ltda. - ME
• City: Campinas

Abstract

Experiments which show atomic emission spectra are an important part of a set which constitute the experimental foundations of Quantum Mechanics. These spectra are easily observed in a spectroscope, a relatively simple instrument composed of a lamp made from the element, the spectrum of which you wish to observe, and an optical collimator to collect the light from the lamp which passes through a narrow slit, directed at an optical prism, the function of which is to spatially separate the various discrete lines of different colors emitted by the lamp’s atoms. These colored lines are observed through a refracting sight mounted on the moveable arm of a goniometer, permitting the measurement of the deflection angle for each line. The present project aims to manufacture the complete spectroscope, a set of spectroscopic lamps (hydrogen, helium, argonium, mercury and sodium) and their electronic sources of activation, the goniometer attached to the optical system for collection, separation and analysis of light emitted, and the recording of the spectrum in various ways (visual- manual, photographic and via microcomputer, among others). The proposal in phase 2 involves researching and developing a hydrogen lamp with the aim of achieving a minimum half life of six months, bearing in mind the known difficulty of maintaining its luminosity for any prolonged time. For the quantitative recording of the spectrum, a micromotor and a light detector will be added to the spectroscope built in phase 1 so that the luminous lines of the spectrum can be converted into electric signals capable of being processed electronically. (AU)