data track spacing

[Chris123]

I am doing the data track spacing experiment on the science buddy web site. I can't get the laser to refract more than 3 angles. Am I doing something incorrectly?? Also I was able to compute my CD track spacing data and how do I interpret a negative result?? Should I be getting a negative results.
Thanks
Chris

[OneBriiguy]

I am doing the data track spacing experiment on the science buddy web site. I can't get the laser to refract more than 3 angles. Am I doing something incorrectly?? Also I was able to compute my CD track spacing data and how do I interpret a negative result?? Should I be getting a negative results.
Thanks
Chris

Hello, Chris123!

I think your question about refraction should be posted in the Physical Science forum. Some of the experts there will probably be able to help you.

To help you by answering yoru question about how to interpret negative results requires more context, and maybe the folks in the Physical Science forum can help with this question, too, but we certainly need more context. If you could describe how you are calculating CD track spacing the folks in this forum might be able to help.

[davidkallman]

Hi Chris,

I assume you're looking at the project at:

http://www.sciencebuddies.org/mentoring ... p011.shtml

Correct?

If you go down in the text to the phrase "So, how can you use diffraction to measure the data track spacing on a CD or DVD?," you get:

both:

the formula for calculating d, the data track spacing
the use of multiple angles

I'm sorry, I thought I had posted this message on Wednesday. There must must have been fat-fingering on my part. Please excuse if you've already figured this out.

[Chris123]

Thanks I will try that!