Measuring spacing of diffraction grating with spectroscope

[Shukie]

Homework Statement

I have a spectroscope that looks like this:

Mercury/Helium lamp --> Split --> Lens --> Diffraction grating --> Lens --> Ocular

I want to measure the grating spacing d with this setup.

Homework Equations

$$d \sin{\theta} = m \lambda$$

The Attempt at a Solution

Can I simply take the first line to the left or to the right of the 'zero order line' (don't know the English translation), find the wavelength of that line in a table, measure the angle $$\theta$$ that line makes from the 'zero order line' and then calculate d? Or is it more complicated than that? Also, aside from doing multiple measurements with both lamps and taking the average, would using 'higher order lines' improve my accuracy over just using 'first order lines'?

 

[anathema]

your response would be as follows:

Thank you for your question! Your approach of using the equation d \sin{\theta} = m \lambda is correct. However, it is important to note that the accuracy of your measurement will depend on the precision of your equipment and technique. Using higher order lines can potentially improve your accuracy, but it is important to carefully align the spectroscope and accurately measure the angles. Additionally, using multiple measurements and taking the average can also improve your precision. It is always helpful to double check your results and make sure they are consistent. Best of luck with your experiment!