Telescope &

Resolving Power Ray Optics:

Optical Instruments
Lecture - 2
Jayant Nagda
Physics Educator
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B.Tech, IIT Bombay

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Near Point
The maximum Visual Angle θo is subtended on the
eye when the object is at the Near Point.

h
θ0
D

Where h is the size of the object and

D is the least distance for clear vision.
Magnifying Power of Optical Instruments

Magnifying Power of any optical instrument is θ/θ0.

m = θ/θ0

Where θ0 is the angle subtended on the naked eye when the

object is placed at the near point.

And θ is the angle subtended by final image on eye

This is also known as the Angular Magnification.

Simple Microscope
As the image is situated at infinity,
Case 1
the Ciliary Muscles are least strained
This situation is is known as Normal Adjustment.

h
θ
F
f

If f < D, , θ > θ0
Simple Microscope Magnifying Power can be further increased

Case 2 Object to a distance u0 from the lens such that

the virtual erect image is formed at the Near Point.

h
θ
F
u0

D
Compound Microscope

It consists of two converging lenses arranged coaxially.

The one close The one

to the eye is facing the
called the object is
Eyepiece or called the
Ocular. Objective

Eyepiece has larger aperture & larger focal length

Objective has smaller aperture & smaller focal length
Compound Microscope
The object is placed at a distance uo
Case 1

A real, inverted & magnified image is formed

at a distance vo on the other side of the objective.
For Normal Adjustment, final image is then formed at infinity.
Compound Microscope
The position of the eyepiece can also be adjusted in such a way tha
Case 2
the final virtual image is formed at the Near Point.
Compound Microscope

The largest angle formed by the object on the unaided eye when no microscope is used

When a compound microscope is used, the final image subtends an

angle θ′ on the eyepiece ( and hence on the eye) given by

Where h′ is the height of the first image and uo is its distance from the eyepiece.
Magnifying Power
The magnifying power of the compound microscope is, therefore,

Where

D/ue is the magnifying power of the eyepiece treated as a simple microscope.

Case Ⅰ D/fe in normal adjustment (image at infinity) and

Case Ⅱ 1 + D/ fe for the adjustment when the

image is formed at the least distance for clear vision.
Magnifying Power

Hence Magnifying Power of compound microscope is

Case Ⅰ For Normal adjustment and

Case Ⅱ At the least distance for clear vision.

Magnifying Power

or, or,

In general, the focal length of the objective is very small so that v/f0 >>1.
Also, the first image is close to eyepiece so that v ≈ l,
where l is the tube length (separation between the objective and the
eyepiece).
Magnification of Compound Microscope

Thus, For normal adjustment

Case Ⅰ

For adjustment for the final image

at the least distance for clear vision.

Case Ⅱ
Example MCQ type Question [ +4 , -1]
A compound microscope has magnifying power as 32 and
magnifying power of eye-piece is 4, then the magnifying
power of objective is

A. 8 B. 10 C. 6 D. 12
Example MCQ type Question [ +4 , -1]
The focal length of a simple convex lens used as a
magnifier is 10 cm. For the image to be formed at a
distance of distinct vision D = 25 cm, the object must be
placed away from the lens nearly at a distance of

A. 5 cm B. 7 cm C. 8 cm D. 16 cm

Ans : B
Example MCQ type Question [ +4 , -1]
In a microscope the focal lengths of two lenses are 1.5 cm
and 6.25 cm. If an object is placed at 2 cm from objective
and final image is formed at 25 cm from eye – lens, the
distance between two lenses is
A. 6 cm B. 7.75 cm C. 9.25 cm D. 11 cm

Ans : D
Telescopes

To look at distant objects such as a star,

a planet or a distant tree, etc, we use
another instruments called a Telescope.
1. Astronomical Telescope

One facing the distant object

Two converging lens
is called the Objective
placed coaxially,
It has a large aperture
Objective and Eyepiece
and a large focal length.

The other is called Eyepiece as

eye is placed close to it,
Has a smaller aperture and a
smaller focal length.
1. Astronomical Telescope

In Normal Adjustment, the position is

Case Ⅰ Q so adjusted that the final image is formed at infinity.

E
∝ P′
P ∝′ β
O

Q′

uo is very large, the first image P′Q′ is formed in the focal plane of the objective.
1. Astronomical Telescope

The image can be brought closer by pushing the eyepiece closer to the first image.

Maximum angular magnification is produced

Case Ⅱ when the final image is formed at the Near Point.

E
∝ P′
∝′ β
P Pʺ O

Q′

Qʺ
Magnifying Power of a Telescope

Angular Magnification or the Magnifying Power of the telescope is defined as

angle subtended by the final image on the eye

m=
angle subtended by the object on the unaided eye
Magnification

Case Ⅰ For Normal Adjustment

the final image is formed at infinity, then EP′ = fe

E
∝ P′
∝′ β
P Pʺ O
β/∝ is negative.
Q′

Qʺ
Magnifying Power of a Telescope

uo is very large, the first image P′Q′ is formed in the focal plane of the objective.
Q

Case Ⅱ
E
∝ P′
∝′ β
P Pʺ O

Q′

Qʺ

P′′Q′′ subtends an angle β on the eyepiece

or,
Magnification If final image is formed at the Near Point of the eye,
the angular magnification is further increased.
Case Ⅱ
Here u = -EP’ and v = -EP’’ = -D

The lens equation is

Q

E
∝ P′
∝′ β
P Pʺ O

Q′

Qʺ
Magnification

Case Ⅱ If final image is formed at the Near Point of the eye,

the angular magnification is further increased.

The magnification is
Length of Telescope
L =OP′ + P′E = fo + P′E
Q

E
∝ P′
∝′ β
Pʺ O
P
Q′

For Normal Adjustment, P′E = fe so that

Qʺ
L = f o + f e.

For adjustment for Near Point vision, we have

So that the length is

2. Terrestrial Telescope

In an astronomical telescope,
the final image is inverted with respect to the object.

E
∝ P′
∝′ β
P Pʺ O

Q′

Qʺ
2. Terrestrial Telescope
To remove this difficulty, a convex lens of focal length f
is included between the objective and the eyepiece in such a way that
Q′′′

Q
Q′′

P′
∝ P′′′ P′′ β
P

Q′

Lo
L

The role of the intermediate lens L is only to invert the image.

2. Terrestrial Telescope

for Normal Adjustment

And for final image at Near Point

Length of Telescope

for Normal Adjustment

And for final image at Near Point

Resolving Power of Optical Instruments

Ability of an optical instrument

to separate two objects,
that are close together, into individual images.

Resolving power is the ability of an imaging device to separate (i.e., to see as

distinct) points of an object that are located at a small angular distance
Resolving Power of a Microscope

It is the reciprocal of the distance between two objects

which can be just resolved when seen through the microscope.

Depends on the Object

Wavelength λ of the light,
Refractive index μ of the medium between the
object and the objective of the microscope.

Angle θ subtended by a radius of the objective on the object

Resolving Power of a Microscope

Resolving Power is
inversely proportional to Wavelength λ of the light used,

Light of shorter wavelength like Blue produces better Resolving Power.

To increase the resolving power,

the objective and the object
are kept immersed in oil.
This increases μ and hence R.
Resolving Power of a Telescope
Resolving power of a telescope is defined as the
reciprocal of the angular separation between two distant objects
which are just resolved when viewed through a telescope.
Resolving Power of a Telescope

Resolving power of a telescope is defined as the reciprocal of the angular

separation between two distant objects which are just resolved when viewed
through a telescope.

∝ is the diameter of the objective of the telescope.

The telescopes with larger objective aperture (1m or more) are used in
astronomical studies.
Daily Practice Problems
Hi Everyone,
Entire Chapter 19 Optical Instruments from HCV Part 1 is to
be done as homework.
Example In a compound microscope, the focal lengths of objective
and eye-lenses are 1.2 cm and 3 cm respectively. If the
object is put 1.25 cm away from the objective lens and the
final image is formed at infinity, the magnifying power of
the microscope is

A. 150 B. 200 C. 250 D. 400

Ans : B
Example The magnifying power of a simple microscope is given by 1 + D/f,
where D is the least distance for clear vision. For farsighted persons,
D is greater than the usual. Does it mean that the magnifying power
of a simple microscope is greater for a farsighted person as
compared to a normal person ? Does it mean that a farsighted
person can see an insect more clearly under a microscope than a
normal person ?

Ans : Yes, yes

Example A person has a near point at 100 cm. What power of lens is
needed to read at 20 cm if he/she uses
1. Contact lens
2. Spectacles having glasses 2.0 cm separated from the
eyes ?

Ans : +4D, + 4.53D

Example Magnification produced by astronomical telescope for
normal adjustment is 10 and length of telescope is 1.1 m.
The magnification when the image is formed at least
distance of distinct vision (D = 25 cm) is

A. 14 B. 6 C. 16 D. 18

Ans : A
Example An astronomical telescope has a converging eye-piece of
focal length 5 cm and objective of focal length 80 cm.
When the final image is formed at the least distance of
distinct vision (25 cm), the separation between the two
lenses is
A. 75.0 cm B. 80.0 cm C. 84.2 cm D. 85.0 cm

Ans : C
Example A telescope of objective lens diameter 2m uses light of
wavelength 5000 Å for viewing stars. The minimum angular
separation between two stars whose image is just resolved
by their telescope is
A. 4 × 10–4 rad B. 0.25 × 10–6 rad

C. 0.31 × 10–6 rad D. 5 × 10–3 rad

Ans : C
Example An eye can distinguish between two points of an object if they are
separated by more than 0.22 mm when the object is placed at 25 cm
from the eye. The object is now seen by a compound microscope
having a 20 D objective and 10 D eyepiece separated by a distance of
20 cm. The final image is formed at 25 cm from the eye.

What is the minimum separation between two points of the object

which can now be distinguished ?

Ans : 0.04mm
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