A student constructs an astronomical telescope with a magnification of 10. If the telescope has an objective lens of focal length 0.50 m, what is the resulting length of the telescope?
A) 60 cm
B) 53 cm
C) 55 cm
D) 75 cm

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The magnification of a telescope is given by the formula M = f_o / f_e, where f_o is the focal length of the objective lens and f_e is the focal length of the eyepiece. Given M = 10 and f_o = 0.50 m, we find f_e = f_o / M = 0.50 m / 10 = 0.05 m. The length of the telescope is the sum of the focal lengths of the objective and eyepiece: 0.50 m + 0.05 m = 0.55 m, which is 55 cm.

A Student Constructs an Astronomical Telescope with a Magnification of 10