Resolving power of telescope with aperture D and wavelength λ (Rayleigh criterion):
AD/λ
BλD
C1.22 λ/D (smallest angle that can be resolved)
DIndependent of λ
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: C. 1.22 λ/D (smallest angle that can be resolved)
Rayleigh: θ_min = 1.22 λ/D for circular aperture. Larger D and shorter λ → finer resolution. Why astronomers build huge telescopes and use shorter wavelengths (UV, X-ray) for higher resolution.
Related questions
Light passes from air to glass ($n = 1.5$). Brewster's angle is:Polaroid sunglasses reduce glare from a wet road most effectively because:In single-slit diffraction with $\lambda = 500$ nm and slit width $a = 0.1$ mm, the angulaIn Young's double slit, $\lambda = 600$ nm, slit separation $d = 0.5$ mm, screen distance For thin lens, when image distance equals object distance (|v| = |u|), object position is:Diffraction effects are more noticeable when the obstacle/aperture size is:Speed of light in glass (n = 1.5) is approximately:Refractive index of medium 1 with respect to medium 2 (denoted ₁n₂ or n₁/n₂). If ₁n₂ = 1.5