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Re: [Phys-l] FW: Science show "Humanly Impossible" on NationalGeographic channel.



The eye's lens (and cornea) introduce a good deal of spherical aberration--guess mother nature doesn't have all of the lens grinder's equations down pat! One way to increase the acuteness of focus is to use only the center of the lenses--you want the opposite of dilation. The iris will close down with lots of light--hence for fine work you want that work to be very well illuminated.

Rick

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Richard W. Tarara
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Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN
rtarara@saintmarys.edu
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----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael Meyer" <mrmeyer@mtu.edu>
To: "Forum for Physics Educators" <phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 9:14 AM
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] FW: Science show "Humanly Impossible" on NationalGeographic channel.


John Clement wrote:

"Dilate means to make larger, so pupils do the opposite to sharpen vision.
Remember the optometrist dilates the pupils to be able to look inside the
eye. But pupils dilate when you see something of interest which increases
the amount of light at the same time the sharpness is decreased."

Is "sharpness" here equated with angular resolution? If so, wouldn't a larger pupil/aperture result in better resolution?

Mike Meyer
Lecturer/Lab Coordinator
Michigan Tech University
mrmeyer@mtu.edu
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