The limit to the eye\'s acuity is actually related to diffraction by the pupil.

Question

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 2.75 mm diameter pupil, assuming the average wavelength of 524 nm? 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 1.50 m apart? What is the distance between two just-resolvable points held at an arm's length (0.850 m) from your eye?

Explanation / Answer

Rayleigh angular distance theta = 1.22 * lambda / D

where D diameter of pupil.

theta = 1.22 * 524 * 10-6 mm/ 2.75 mm = 0.232* 10-3

b) angular spacing theta = d/L   d-- spacing = 1.5 m

                       L = 1.5/ 0.232*10-3 = 6465.5 m

C)d = theta * L = 0.232 * 10-3 * 0.85 = 0.197 * 10-3 m

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