Course Information

• Syllabus
• Overview of Experiments (PDF)

Experiments

• Scope Exercise

First Four

• Hydrogen-deuterium mass difference
• X-ray fluorescence
• The Franck-Hertz experiment
• The Zeeman effect in mercury

Path 1

• Rubidium optical pumping
• Pulsed NMR

Path 2

• The Hanle effect
• The Lamb shift in hydrogen

Physics 432 Home

Hydrogen - Deuterium Mass Difference

Students measure the Balmer series emission lines of hydrogen and deuterium. Results of the measurements are used to derive a value of the Rydberg constant for each of the isotopes. The concept of reduced mass is introduced and the dependence of the Rydberg constant on this parameter is noted. A value for the H-D mass ratio is then derived from the values of the two Rydberg constants.

Experiment Information

• Write-up
• Perkin-Elmer E-1 monochrometer manual (optional)
• Urey, H. C., F. G. Brickwedde and G. M. Murphy, "A hydrogen istope of mass 2 and its concentration", Phys. Rev. 40, 1 (1932)