Construction and Evaluation of a LEGO Spectrophotometer for Student Use

A simple visible-wavelength spectrophotometer has been constructed for educational purposes. The spectrophotometer contains simple, inexpensive components students can easily work with (small flashlight bulbs, batteries, etc.) and uses LEGO pieces for construction of the optical support elements. The spectrophotometer was designed to give students hands-on experience with typical spectrophotometer modules so that they may understand the important stages in the design of a scientific instrument. The spectrophotometer was characterized by examining an absorption spectrum and calibration curves of potassium permanganate.