Resolving Power: Difference between revisions

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''Angular limit of Resolution'' <math> = \frac{1.22λ}{D} </math>
''Angular limit of Resolution'' <math> = \frac{1.22λ}{D} </math>
λ - wavelength in meters, D - diameter of the aperture in meters
The resolving power can be found by calculating the inverse of hte angular limit of resolution.
''Resolving power'' <math> = \frac{D}{1.22λ} </math>
λ - wavelength in meters, D - diameter of the aperture in meters


===A Computational Model===
===A Computational Model===
Line 38: Line 46:
===Further reading===
===Further reading===


Books, Articles or other print media on this topic
Pedrotti, Frank L., Leno M. Pedrotti, and Leon S. Pedrotti. Introduction to Optics, 3rd ed. San Francisco: Addison Wesley, 2007.
 
Serway, Raymond A., Jerry S. Faughn, Chris Vuille, and Charles A. Bennet. College Physics, 7th ed. Belmont, Calif.: Thomson Brooks/Cole, 2006.
 
Young, Hugh D., and Roger A. Freedman. University Physics, 12th ed. San Francisco: Addison Wesley, 2007.


===External links===
===External links===
Line 46: Line 58:
==References==
==References==


This section contains the the references you used while writing this page
"Optics." Encyclopedia of Physical Science. Facts On File, 2009. Science Online. Web. 2 Dec. 2015. <http://online.infobase.com/HRC/LearningCenter/Details/8?articleId=299135>.


[[Category:Which Category did you place this in?]]
[[Optics]]

Revision as of 17:57, 6 December 2015

Claimed by estaniforth3

The Main Idea

Resolving power is the measure of an optical system's ability to differentiate between the images of objects close together or separate similar wavelengths of radiation and therefore display fine detail. In an ideal situation, this quantity is dependent on two components of the radiation, the aperture (the space through which light passes in an optical system) and wavelength (the distance between crests in a wave). However in real life applications the resolving power is limited by the effects of diffraction, the effect on a wave when it encounters an obstacle.

The Rayleigh Criterion for Minimal Image Resolution

Lord Rayleigh (John William Strutt) determined that, given two point light sources, the center of the image of the first source will fall on the first diffraction ring of the second source. Because of this, there is a minimum angle (in radians) between the two sources (as viewed by the system) for the two sources to be at least marginally resolvable (distinguishable).

Angular limit of Resolution [math]\displaystyle{ = \frac{1.22λ}{D} }[/math]

λ - wavelength in meters, D - diameter of the aperture in meters

The resolving power can be found by calculating the inverse of hte angular limit of resolution.

Resolving power [math]\displaystyle{ = \frac{D}{1.22λ} }[/math]

λ - wavelength in meters, D - diameter of the aperture in meters

A Computational Model

How do we visualize or predict using this topic. Consider embedding some vpython code here Teach hands-on with GlowScript

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See also

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Further reading

Pedrotti, Frank L., Leno M. Pedrotti, and Leon S. Pedrotti. Introduction to Optics, 3rd ed. San Francisco: Addison Wesley, 2007.

Serway, Raymond A., Jerry S. Faughn, Chris Vuille, and Charles A. Bennet. College Physics, 7th ed. Belmont, Calif.: Thomson Brooks/Cole, 2006.

Young, Hugh D., and Roger A. Freedman. University Physics, 12th ed. San Francisco: Addison Wesley, 2007.

External links

Internet resources on this topic

References

"Optics." Encyclopedia of Physical Science. Facts On File, 2009. Science Online. Web. 2 Dec. 2015. <http://online.infobase.com/HRC/LearningCenter/Details/8?articleId=299135>.

Optics