The pupil of a cat's eye narrows to a slit width of 0.5 mm in daylight. What is the angular resolution of the cat's eye in daylight (λ = 500 nm)? A) 0.01 rads B) 10−⁵ rads C) 10−³ rads D) 10−⁴ rads E) 0.1 rads

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The angular resolution can be calculated using the formula:

Angular resolution = 1.22 * λ / D

where λ is the wavelength of light and D is the diameter of the pupil.

Substituting the given values, we get:

Angular resolution = 1.22 * (500 nm) / (0.5 mm) = 1.22 * 10^-6 rad

This can be expressed in scientific notation as 10^-1.087, which is closest to 10^-1.13. Therefore, the best choice is C) 10^-13 rad.

The Pupil of a Cat's Eye Narrows to a Slit