First slide
Resolving power of optical instruments
Question

A  paper, with two marks having separation d, is held normal to the line of sight of an observer at a distance of 50m. The diameter of the eye-lens of the observer is 2mm. Find the least value of d (in cm), so that the marks can be seen as separate? The mean wavelength of visible light may be taken as 5000 A0

Moderate
Solution

Angular limit of resolution of eye, θ=λd ,  where, d is diameter of eye lens.  Also, if y is the minimum separation between two objects at distance D from eye then θ=yD yD=λd y=λDd..........................1 Here, wavelength λ=5000A0=5×107m  D=50m  Diameter of eye lens  = 2 mm = 2×103m  From eq.(1) minimum separation is  y=5×107×502×103=12.5×103m=1.25cm

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