34. Wave Optics

What is the f-number of a relaxed eye with the pupil fully dilated to 8.0 mm? Model the eye as a single lens 2.4 cm in front of the retina.

A radio telescope, whose two antennas are separated by 55 m, is designed to receive 3.0-MHz radio waves produced by astronomical objects. The received radio waves create 3.0-MHz electronic signals in the telescope’s left and right antennas. These signals then travel by equal-length cables to a centrally located amplifier, where they are added together. The telescope can be “pointed” to a certain region of the sky by adding the instantaneous signal from the right antenna to a “time-delayed” signal received by the left antenna a time ∆t ago. (This time delay of the left signal can be easily accomplished with the proper electronic circuit.) If a radio astronomer wishes to “view” radio signals arriving from an object oriented at a 12° angle to the vertical as in Fig. 34–54, what time delay ∆t is necessary?

(II) White light passes through a 640-slit/ mm diffraction grating. First-order and second-order visible spectra (“rainbows”) appear on the wall 32 cm away as shown in Fig. 35–40. Determine the widths ℓ₁ and ℓ₂ of the two “rainbows” (400 nm to 700 nm). In which order is the “rainbow” dispersed over a larger distance?

(II) X-rays of wavelength 0.138 nm fall on a crystal whose atoms, lying in planes, are spaced 0.315 nm apart. At what angle Φ (relative to the surface, Fig. 35–28) must the X-rays be directed if the first diffraction maximum is to be observed?

(II) Suppose a thin piece of glass is placed in front of the lower slit in Fig. 34–7 so that the two waves enter the slits 180° out of phase (Fig. 34–44). Describe in detail the interference pattern on the screen.

Show that the radius r of the mᵗʰ dark Newton’s ring, as viewed from directly above (Fig. 34–18), is given by r = √mλR where R is the radius of curvature of the curved glass surface and λ is the wavelength of light used. Assume that the thickness of the air gap is much less than R at all points and that r ≪ R . [Hint: Use the binomial expansion.]

(II) When a Newton’s ring apparatus (Fig. 34–18) is immersed in a liquid, the diameter of the tenth dark ring decreases from 2.92 cm to 2.54 cm. What is the refractive index of the liquid? [Hint: See Problem 37.]

Consider two antennas radiating 6.8-MHz radio waves in phase with each other. They are located at points S₁ and S₂, separated by a distance d = 175 m, Fig. 34–50. Determine the points on the positive y-axis where the signals from the two sources will be out of phase (crests of one meet troughs of the other).

"Two identical sources S₁ and S₂, separated by distance d, coherently emit light of wavelength λ uniformly in all directions. Defining the x axis with its origin at S₁ as shown in Fig. 34–52, find the locations (expressed as multiples of λ ) where the signals from the two sources are out of phase along this axis for x > 0 , if d = 3λ.

If you can read the bottom row of your doctor’s eye chart, your eye has a resolving power of 1 arcminute, equal to 1/60 degree. If this resolving power is diffraction-limited, to what effective diameter of your eye’s optical system does this correspond? Use Rayleigh’s criterion and assume λ = 550 nm.

The VLBA (Very Long Baseline Array) uses a number of individual radio telescopes to make one unit having an equivalent diameter of about 8000 km. When this radio telescope is focusing radio waves of wavelength 2.0 cm, what would have to be the diameter of the mirror of a visible-light telescope focusing light of wavelength 550 nm so that the visible-light telescope has the same resolution as the radio telescope?

The Hubble Space Telescope has an aperture of 2.4 m and focuses visible light (380 - 750 nm). The Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico is 305 m (1000 ft) in diameter (it is built in a mountain valley) and focuses radio waves of wavelength 75 cm. Under optimal viewing conditions, what is the smallest crater that each of these telescopes could resolve on our moon?

A wildlife photographer uses a moderate telephoto lens of focal length 135 mm and maximum aperture f/4.00 to photograph a bear that is 11.5 m away. Assume the wavelength is 550 nm. (a) What is the width of the smallest feature on the bear that this lens can resolve if it is opened to its maximum aperture? (b) If, to gain depth of field, the photographer stops the lens down to f/22.0, what would be the width of the smallest resolvable feature on the bear?

(III) The yellow sodium D lines have wavelengths of 589.0 and 589.6 nm. When they are used to illuminate a Michelson interferometer, it is noted that the interference fringes disappear and reappear periodically as the mirror M₁ is moved. Why does this happen? How far must the mirror move between one disappearance and the next?

Spy planes fly at extremely high altitudes (25 km) to avoid interception. If their cameras are to discern features as small as 5 cm, what is the minimum aperture of the camera lens to afford this resolution? (Use λ = 580nm.)