Resolving Power and Wavelength – Rankers Physics
Topic: Wave Optics
Subtopic: Diffraction

Resolving Power and Wavelength

Assertion (A): On increasing wavelength of light used, resolving power increases.
Reason (R): On increasing wavelength, width of central maxima decreases.
 
(1) Both (A) & (R) are true and the (R) is the correct explanation of the (A)
(2) Both (A) & (R) are true but the (R) is not the correct explanation of the (A)
(3) (A) is true but (R) is false
(4) Both (A) and (R) are false

Solution:

Assertion (A) is false. Resolving power of optical instruments (e.g., telescope, microscope) is inversely proportional to the wavelength (\(RP \propto 1/\lambda\)). So, increasing wavelength decreases resolving power. Reason (R) is also false. In diffraction, the width of the central maximum is directly proportional to the wavelength (\(w \propto \lambda\)). Thus, increasing wavelength increases the width of the central maximum.

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