Resolution Vs Magnification
Magnification is the ability to make small objects larger to see their details properly, like making microscopic organisms visible. It is the process of enlarging an object only by appearance and not by the actual physical size. Resolution is the ability to distinguish between two objects from each other. The term magnification is often confused with resolution. Resolution determines the ability of the instrumentation system to show details in the object that is being imaged. On the other hand, magnification means without high resolution may make small microbes visible. Magnification magnifies the object’s size while resolution distinguishes between two objects. Magnification doesn’t allow the observer to distinguish between two objects. In order to distinguish between two different objects under a microscope, it should be first magnified to a specified point at which the resolution becomes much more relevant. The magnification and resolution of an optical instrument are inversely related to each other. When magnification increases, the resolution decreases, and vice versa.
Resolving Power of a Microscope and Telescope
Wave optics, also known as Physical optics, deals with the study of various phenomena such as diffraction, polarization, interference, resolution, and other occurrences. Wave optics is the segment of optics that focuses on the study and behavior of light and its wave characteristics. Wave optics particularly describes the connection between waves and rays of light. According to the wave theory of light, light is a form of energy, it travels through a medium in the form of transverse wave motion. The speed of light traveling through a medium depends upon the nature of the medium.
Here, the approximation is carried out by using ray optics for the estimation of the field on a surface. Integrating ray-estimated field over a mirror, lens, or aperture for the calculation of the scattered or transmitted field also gets involved later on. Wave optics stands as a witness to the scientific study of understanding the nature of light. One is the particle nature of light and the other is the wave nature of light.