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What is the approximate index of refraction of various components of the eye, including tears, cornea, aqueous humor, superficial lens, and deep/central lens?

A) Tears - 1.336, Cornea - 1.376, Aqueous - 1.336, Superficial lens - 1.386, Deep/central lens - 1.406.
B) Tears - 1.376, Cornea - 1.336, Aqueous - 1.406, Superficial lens - 1.386, Deep/central lens - 1.336.
C) Tears - 1.406, Cornea - 1.386, Aqueous - 1.376, Superficial lens - 1.336, Deep/central lens - 1.406.
D) Tears - 1.336, Cornea - 1.406, Aqueous - 1.386, Superficial lens - 1.376, Deep/central lens - 1.336.

User Bylazy
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

The approximate indices of refraction for the components of the eye are: Tears - 1.336, Cornea - 1.376, Aqueous humor - 1.336, Superficial lens - 1.386, and Deep/central lens - 1.406, making option A the correct choice.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question pertains to the indices of refraction of various components within the human eye. The correct approximate indices for each component are: Tears - 1.336, Cornea - 1.376, Aqueous humor - 1.336, Superficial lens - 1.386, and Deep/central lens - 1.406. These values are based on the understanding that the index of refraction varies and is highest in the center of the lens. A high index of refraction implies that light travels slower through the material compared to materials with a lower index. Considering the provided information and the importance of the cornea in focusing light, we can deduce that option A is the correct answer. This is because the cornea has a higher index of refraction than other parts except for the deeper layers of the lens, which aligns with the understanding that the cornea provides most of the eye's focusing power.

The answer can also be reasoned through the fact that the aqueous humor has an index of refraction around 1.34, as mentioned, and this best matches option A. Furthermore, the lenses of the eye have a gradual variation in their index of refraction, which becomes progressively higher towards the center, supporting the values given in option A.

User Stan Luo
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