Question

In a refracting type of telescope, what is the impact on its magnifying power if the objective and eyepiece lens are interchanged? Explain your answer.

a) Increases
b) Decreases
c) Remains the same
d) Becomes zero

Answer 1

OPTION B.In a refracting telescope, interchanging the objective and eyepiece lenses results in a decrease in magnifying power as the ratio of their focal lengths, which determines magnification, is inverted.

Step-by-step explanation:

In a refracting type of telescope, if the objective and eyepiece lens are interchanged, the magnifying power decreases (option b). The magnification power of a telescope is given by the ratio of the focal lengths of the eyepiece and the objective.

Normally, the objective has a longer focal length than the eyepiece to provide a greater magnification. By switching the two lenses, you'd have a setup with a shorter focal length for the new 'objective' and a longer focal length for the new 'eyepiece', resulting in a significantly reduced magnification. In addition, the image quality might be severely compromised because each lens is specifically designed for its position in standard telescope configuration.