1. The limit to the eye\\\'s acuity is actually related to diffraction by the pu
ID: 1413318 • Letter: 1
Question
1. The limit to the eye's acuity is actually related to diffraction by the pupil. What is the angle between two just-resolvable points of light for a 3.25 mm diameter pupil, assuming the average wavelength of 569 nm?
2. Take your result to be the practical limit for the eye. What is the greatest possible distance a car can be from you if you can resolve its two headlights, given they are 1.40 m apart?
3. What is the distance between two just-resolvable points held at an arm's length (0.850 m) from your eye?
Explanation / Answer
1) The Rayleigh criterion for a circular aperture is sin? = 1.22?/D
=> sin? = 1.22 * 569 * 10-9/(3.25 * 10-3)
=> ? = 0.01223 degree
= 2.136 * 10-4 radians
2) the greatest possible distance a car can be from you = 1.40/(2.136 * 10-4 )
= 6.554 km
3) distance between two just-resolvable points = 2.136 * 10-4 * 0.850
= 1.8156 * 10-4 m
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