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Q14CQ

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Found in: Page 955

College Physics (Urone)

Book edition 1st Edition
Author(s) Paul Peter Urone
Pages 1272 pages
ISBN 9781938168000

Geometric optics describes the interaction of light with macroscopic objects. Why, then, is it correct to use geometric optics to analyse a microscope’s image?

We use geometric optics approximation because the size of the object is much larger than the wavelength of light.

See the step by step solution

Step 1: Geometric optics Approximation.

One approximation that geometric optics makes is that the waves (rays) travel in straight lines until they hit a surface. When the ray encounters a surface it can either bounce back (reflect) or bend (refract) but then continues to travel in a straight line.

Step 2:Comparison of the wavelength of light with the size of an object.

The size of the object we see in the microscope is of the order of $\mu m\left({10}^{-6}m\right)$. The wavelength of the light used in the microscope is of the order of few 100 nm . So the wavelength of the light is much smaller than the size of the object, hence we can use the geometrical optics approximation.