Question

what's the minimum separation between the bees for you to be able to resolve them as two distinct insects? assume visible light with 470- nm wavelength.

Answer 1

To resolve the two distinct bees, the minimum separation between them should be greater than or equal to 0.114 mm.

Step-by-step explanation:

To resolve the two distinct bees, the minimum separation between them must be greater than or equal to the resolving limit, which is determined by the diffraction of light. The resolving limit can be calculated using the formula:

d = 1.22 * (λ / D)

where d is the minimum separation, λ is the wavelength of light, and D is the diameter of the pupil. In the given question, the wavelength of light is 470 nm and the diameter of the pupil is 5.0 mm. Converting the diameter to meters, we get 0.005 m. Plugging in the values in the formula, we get:

d = 1.22 * (470 x 10⁻⁹ / 0.005)

Simplifying, the minimum separation between the bees for them to be resolved as two distinct insects is approximately 0.114 mm.