what is the equation of the resolving power of a microscope?
can you please give an example problem too?
The resolving power (or resolution) of a microscope is a measure of its ability to distinguish fine details in a sample. It determines the minimum distance between two points on the object being observed that can still be clearly seen as separate points.
The classical formula to calculate the resolving power of a microscope is:
Resolving power = λ / (2 * numerical aperture)
Where:
λ (lambda) is the wavelength of light being used
Numerical Aperture (NA) is a measure of the light-gathering ability of the microscope lens
Example Problem:
Let's say you have a microscope that operates in the visible light spectrum with a wavelength of 500 nm. It has a lens with a numerical aperture of 0.75. To find the resolving power, plug the given values into the formula:
Resolving Power = 500 nm / (2 * 0.75)
Resolving Power = 333.33 nm (approximately)
So, the resolving power of this microscope is approximately 333.33 nm.
Please note that the formula provided assumes that the microscope is using light as the source for imaging. Resolving power formulas may differ for microscopes that use other forms of radiation, such as electrons in electron microscopy.