In this experiment, Andrew and I learned many things.  Expensive equipment doesn’t always mean better equipment.  A laser with a much smaller line width would have made our experiment much easier to do.  We would have easily been able to measure Doppler broadening.  Since we did not have this laser, we were merely able to measure the line width of our laser (approximately 10 pm) and conjecture that the Doppler broadening was less than this width.  If we had found a way to measure the emission spectra or if we could have increased the temperature of our sample to more than 360˚K, heating the sample would have been useful.  Unfortunately, neither Adam, Dr. Gfroer, or I realized that resonance broadening only affected the emission spectra and that to detect collisional broadening, the temperature would have had to have been much greater.  So, it would have also been wise to know the theory in detail before completing the experiment.  However, we were able to conclude by experimentation that pressure broadening does not increase absorption spectrum by a factor of 10 at relatively low pressures.   

Future experiments could include measuring the Doppler broadening and fine structure of the rubidium cell using a laser with a much lower line width.  One could also increase the pressure of the rubidium so that collisional broadening is seen in the absorption spectrum.