How does the refractive index of a lens affect the image quality?
What is the impact of the refractive index of a lens on image quality?
Which of the following statements is true regarding a lens with the same refractive index as air?
a. Light would not pass through the lens.
b. The image would be magnified more than with a glass lens.
c. The image would be magnified, but the resolution would be less than with a glass lens.
d. The image would be magnified, and the resolution would be greater than with a glass lens.
e. The image would not be magnified.
Answer:
If a lens had the same refractive index as air, the image would be magnified, but the resolution would be less than with a glass lens. The correct option is (c).
The refractive index of a lens plays a crucial role in determining the image quality produced by the lens. When the refractive index of a lens is the same as air, it affects how light rays pass through the lens and how they are focused to form an image.
When a lens has the same refractive index as air, the bending of light rays is different compared to a glass lens. This difference in bending affects the ability of the lens to focus light properly, resulting in a magnified image but with less resolution than a glass lens.
This is because the refractive index of a material determines how much the light is bent as it passes through the material. A lower refractive index like that of air does not allow for as efficient focusing of light as a higher refractive index material like glass.
Therefore, if a lens had the same refractive index as air, the image would be enlarged but with reduced resolution compared to using a glass lens with a higher refractive index.