How far from a piece of paper must you hold your father’s 2.00 D reading glasses to try to burn a hole in the paper with sunlight?

To determine the distance you need to hold your father's 2.00 D reading glasses from a piece of paper to try to burn a hole with sunlight, we need to understand the concept of focal length.

The focal length is a measure of how strongly the lens converges or diverges light. In this case, the reading glasses have a diopter value of 2.00 D, which is a unit that describes the refractive power of a lens.

Formula to calculate the focal length (f):
f = 1 / diopter value

Using this formula, we can find the focal length of the reading glasses:
f = 1 / 2.00 = 0.5 meters

Now, to create a highly concentrated beam of sunlight to potentially burn a hole, you want to focus the sunlight onto a small area on the paper. This can be achieved when the distance between the reading glasses and the paper is equal to the focal length.

Therefore, to try to burn a hole in the paper using your father's 2.00 D reading glasses, you would need to hold the glasses approximately 0.5 meters (or 50 centimeters) away from the paper. This distance will ensure that the sunlight is focused onto a small area, increasing its intensity and potentially causing enough heat to burn a hole.