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zSquirreL

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  • Physics help?

    Two light bulbs are 0.800 m apart. From what distance can these light bulbs be marginally resolved by a small telescope with a 4.30 cm -diameter objective lens?

    Assume that the lens is diffraction limited and λ =600nm.

    I used theta_min=1.22λ/D

    Since tan(theta)=opp/adj=0.8/x (where we're trying to find x), theta equals arctan(0.8/x).

    So we have arctan(0.8/x)=1.22(600x10^-9)/(0.043)

    0.8/x=tan(1.22(600x10^-9)/0.043)

    x=0.8/tan(1.22(600x10^-9)/0.043)

    x=2692588m=2690km (with significant figures)

    This is wrong though, what am I doing wrong?

    Physics2 weeks ago