Gas filled tubes are excited with a 5000v source. Diffraction lens
glasses are passed out to the students (there are both full size
diffraction glasses and 1/2 size, depending on audience size).
Students are instructed to look at a line source such as a
fluorescent light through the lens. Hold the lens so as to obtain
the white light color spectra on both sides of the light source.
Keeping this same orientation, students can observe the spectral
lines obtained from the different gas tubes placed in the high
voltage supply. Pictured in these photos is a fluorescent light,
mercury, and helium tubes.
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