Quick Answer:The Spectroscope disperses light with a glass prism or diffraction grating and has a slit, a focusable eyepiece with reticle and a built-in wavelength or angular scale, for examining emission and absorption spectra of gases and metal salts.
Last updated: 18 October 2026
Key Features
High-dispersion glass prism or diffraction grating.
Internal wavelength scale (nm) or angular scale.
Fixed or adjustable vertical slit.
Focusable eyepiece with high-contrast reticle.
Light-tight metal or polymer housing.
Technical Specifications
Specification
Value
Dispersing element
Glass prism or diffraction grating
Scale
Internal wavelength scale (nm) or angular scale
Slit
Fixed or adjustable vertical slit
Housing
Light-tight metal or high-impact polymer
Eyepiece
Focusable, with reticle
How It Is Used
The slit is aimed at a lamp, a gas discharge tube or a flame coloured with a metal salt, and the spectrum is viewed through the eyepiece against the scale. Students compare continuous, emission and absorption spectra and read the positions of bright lines to identify elements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can wavelengths be read on the Spectroscope?
Yes. It has a built-in internal scale, in nanometres or as an angular scale, against which spectral lines are read through the focusable eyepiece.
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