Physics

Optical Instruments and Human Eye

416 Questions

Optical instruments and the human eye explore how lenses and mirrors are used to magnify and resolve images. Key topics include the magnifying power of astronomical telescopes, compound microscope configurations, and hyperfocal distance calculations. These physics concepts are vital for general science competitive exams.

Telescope magnifying powerCompound microscope lensesHyperfocal distance calculationHuman eye resolutionSpherical mirror magnification

Optical Instruments and Human Eye Questions

Multiple choice physics wave optics resolving power of optical instruments resolution of optical instruments diffraction

An astronomical telescope has a large aperture to

  1. reduce spherical aberration

  2. have high resolution

  3. increase span of observation

  4. have low dispersion

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The aperture of an astronomical telescope is defined as the diameter of the objective lens.
In telescopes since, the stars are very far away from away us and emit light internsities, we need a large aperture to increase the amount of light entering the telescope thereby increasing the resolution

Multiple choice physics wave optics resolving power of optical instruments resolution of optical instruments diffraction

The limit of resolution of an optical instrument is the smallest angle that two points on an object have to subtend at the eye so that they are.

  1. Unresolved

  2. Well resolved

  3. Just resolved

  4. None of these

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Limit of resolution of an optical instrument is the minimum angle that two points on an object have to subtend at the eye so that they are just resolved. (C)

Multiple choice physics wave optics resolving power of optical instruments resolution of optical instruments diffraction

To increase the magnification of a telescope 

  1. the objective lens should be of large focal length and eyepiece should be of small focal length.

  2. the objective and eyepiece both should be of large focal length.

  3. both the objective and eyepiece should be of smaller focal lengths

  4. the objective should be of small focal length and eyepiece should be of large focal length

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation
$m=\dfrac { { f } _{ o } }{ { f } _{ e } } $
from the above relation we can see that magnification is directly proportional to the focal length of objective lens.
Multiple choice physics wave optics resolving power of optical instruments resolution of optical instruments diffraction

Magnification of an object ($m$), is equal to

  1. $\cfrac {v+f}{f}$
  2. $\cfrac {vf}{v-f}$
  3. $\cfrac {f}{v+f}$
  4. None of these

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

we know,mirror formula
$\cfrac {1}{f}=\cfrac{1}{v}+\cfrac{1}{u}, magnification(m)=\cfrac{-v}{u}$
$\cfrac{1}{u}=\cfrac{1}{f}-\cfrac{1}{v}$
$\cfrac{1}{u}=\cfrac{v-f}{fv}$
${u}=\cfrac{fv}{v-f}$
$(m)=\cfrac{-v}{u}$,substituting $u$.
$m=\cfrac{-v}{1}\times\cfrac{v-f}{fv}$
$m=\cfrac{f-v}{f}$

Multiple choice physics wave optics resolving power of optical instruments resolution of optical instruments diffraction

Calculate the limit of resolution of a telescope objective having a diameter of 200 cm, if it has to detect light of wavelength 500 nm coming from a star ; -

  1. $305 \times 10^{-9} $ radian
  2. $152.5 \times 10^{-9} $ radian
  3. $610 \times 10^{-9} $ radian
  4. $457.5 \times 10^{-9} $ radian
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Limit of resolution of telescope = $\dfrac{1.22 \lambda}{D}$
$\theta = \dfrac{1.22 \times 500 \times 10^{-9}}{200 \times 10^{-2}} = 305 \times 10^{-9}$ radian

Multiple choice physics wave optics resolving power of optical instruments resolution of optical instruments diffraction

An astronomical telescope, consists of two thin lenses set $36 cm$ a part and has a magnifying power $8$. Calculate the focal length of the lenses.

  1. $32 cm$
  2. $18 cm$
  3. $25 cm$
  4. $36 cm$
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Here, $f _o+f _e=36 cm$
$M=-8$ (magnifying power is negative)
Now, $M=\cfrac {f _o}{f _e}$
$\therefore -8=-8=-\cfrac {f _o}{f _e}$
$\Rightarrow f _o=8f _e$

From the equations, we have
$8f _e+f _e=36$ or $f _e=4\ cm$

Again, $f _o=8f _e=8\times 4=32\ cm$

Multiple choice polarisation of light polarisation wave optics optics physics

The diameter of an objective of a telescope, which can just resolve two stars situated at an angular displacement of ${10^{ - 4}}$ degree, should be $\left( {\lambda  = 5000\,{A^0}} \right)$ 

  1. 35 mm

  2. 35 cm

  3. 35 m

  4. None of the above

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

$\Delta \theta  = \left( {\dfrac{{1.22\lambda }}{d}} \right)$
$d = \left( {\dfrac{{1.22 \times \lambda }}{{\Delta \theta }}} \right)$
$ \Rightarrow \,\,{10^{ - 4}}\, \to \,\dfrac{\lambda }{{180}} \times {10^{ - 4}}$
$ = 1.74 \times {10^{ - 6}}\,rad.$
$d = \left( {\dfrac{{1.22 \times 5000 \times {{10}^{ - 10}}}}{{1.74 \times {{10}^{ - 6}}}}} \right)$
$ = 0.35\,m\,\,or\,\,35\,cm$

Multiple choice physics observing space: telescopes space research and satellites space travel space exploration and forms of light

The angular resolution of a 10cm diameter telescope at a wavelength of $5000 A^0$ is of the order of -

  1. $10^{4} rad$
  2. $10^{-6} rad$
  3. $10^{6} rad$
  4. $10^{2} rad$
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Given parameters are,

Wavelength $\lambda = 5000\ A^{\circ}$

 = $5000 \times 10^{-10}$

Diameter of telescope, $D = 10 cm = 0.1 m$

Now, Angular resolution (d\theta) formula for telescope is,

$d\theta =\dfrac{1.22 \lambda}{D}\\$

Substituting the values, we get

$\Rightarrow d\theta = \dfrac{1.22 \times 5000 \times 10^{-10}}{0.1}= 6.1 \times 10^{-6}\\$

Clearly it is having significance order of $10^{-6}$.

Thus option B is correct.

Multiple choice physics observing space: telescopes space research and satellites space travel space exploration and forms of light

An observer looks at a distant tree of height $10$ m with a telescope magnifying power of $20$. To the observer, the top appears

  1. 10 times taller

  2. 10 times nearer

  3. 20 times taller

  4. 20 times nearer

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

A telescope with a magnifying power of 20 makes distant objects appear 20 times closer (or 20 times larger in angular size).

Multiple choice physics observing space: telescopes space research and satellites space travel space exploration and forms of light

The focal length of eye lens and object lens of a telescope is 4 mm and 4 cm respectively. If final image of an far object is at $\infty $. Then the magnifying power and length of the tube are :

  1. 10, 4.4 cm

  2. 4, 44 cm

  3. 44,10 cm

  4. 10, 44 cm

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Answer is A.

Magnification is the amount that a telescope enlarges its subject. Its equal to the telescopes focal length divided by the eyepieces focal length. As a rule of thumb, a telescopes maximum useful magnification is 50 times its aperture in inches (or twice its aperture in millimeters). 
That is, M = fo / fe
In this case, the focal length of eye lens and object lens of a telescope is 4 mm = 0.4 cm and 4 cm respectively.
So, Magnification M = fo / fe = 4 / 0.4 = 10.
Focal length of the eyepiece is the distance from the center of the eyepiece lens to the point at which light passing through the lens is brought to a focus.
Focal length of the objective is the distance from the center of the objective lens (or mirror) to the point at which incoming light is brought to a focus.
The length of the tube is given as sum of the focal lengths of the eye lens and the object lens.
So, Length of the tube  = fo + fe = 4 + 0.4 = 4.4 cm.
Hence, the magnifying power and length of the tube are: 10, 4.4 cm.

Multiple choice physics observing space: telescopes space research and satellites space travel space exploration and forms of light

In an astronomical telescope the focal lengths of objective and eyepiece should respectively be :

  1. large and small

  2. small and large

  3. equal

  4. too small are too large

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

In an astronomical telescope, two convex lenses are used for different focal lengths. In which the lens with large focal length is an objective lens which is used to see large distance objects like stars or planets and the one with small focal is eyepiece. Hence correct option is A.

Multiple choice physics observing space: telescopes space research and satellites space travel space exploration and forms of light

While viewing a distant object with telescope a housefly sits on objective lens. Then which of the following is the correct statement :

  1. housefly will be seen enlarged in image

  2. housefly will be seen reduced in image

  3. intensity of image will be decreased

  4. intensity of image will be increased

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

When housefly sits on the objective lens, light intensity will fall at objective because housefly will stop the light to fall on the objective. So, intensity of the image is decreased. Hence correct option is C.

Multiple choice physics observing space: telescopes space research and satellites space travel space exploration and forms of light

Large aperture objective is used in telescopes as it helps in

  1. increasing the brightness of image

  2. reducing image size

  3. increasing field of view

  4. increasing intensity by gathering more light

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A,D Correct answer
Explanation

The larger the objective, the more light the telescope collects and increases the brightness of image .

The field of view of the telescope decreases as the aperture increases, but the resolving power increases.
The objective lens of a telescope forms an real image of the night sky, the size of that image is in proportion to the focal length of the objective lens. It increases with increase in size of objective lens.

Multiple choice physics observing space: telescopes space research and satellites space travel space exploration and forms of light

Large astronomical telescopes always use as objective

  1. lens

  2. mirror

  3. combinations of lenses

  4. none of the above

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation
Large astronomical telescopes always use combination of lens as objective because
(1)To minimize spherical aberration.
(2)To maximize the amount of light ray entering the telescope.
(3)To optimize the quality of image.