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Spectrometer Anatomy
The basic spectrometer has a light source S illuminating a slit that acts as an object for lens C. After refraction by the prism, the light is focussed by lens O on cross-hairs R. An optical spectrometer (spectrophotometer, spectrograph or spectroscope) is an instrument used to measure properties of light over a specific portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, typically used in spectroscopic analysis to identify materials. Prisms and diffraction gratings are typical dispersive elements.