What must be the thickness of the base of a flint glass prism which re...
**Problem**
What is the required thickness of the base of a flint glass prism in order to resolve the sodium D-lines, given that the refractive index of the glass prism changes with wavelength by a magnitude of 952 cm^-1? The correct answer is 1.03 cm.
**Explanation**
To resolve the sodium D-lines using a prism, we need to ensure that the two wavelengths of the D-lines (589.0 nm and 589.6 nm) are separated by a sufficient angular dispersion. This angular dispersion can be achieved by a prism with a certain thickness.
Let's break down the solution into several steps:
**Step 1: Convert the refractive index change to dispersion**
The given refractive index change is 952 cm^-1. We know that the dispersion, D, is given by the formula:
D = (dN/dλ) * λ
where dN/dλ is the rate of change of refractive index with respect to wavelength and λ is the wavelength.
Using the given dispersion value, we can rearrange the formula to solve for dN/dλ:
dN/dλ = D / λ
**Step 2: Calculate the angular dispersion**
The angular dispersion, δ, is given by the formula:
δ = dN/dλ * t
where δ is the angular dispersion, dN/dλ is the rate of change of refractive index with respect to wavelength, and t is the thickness of the prism base.
Substituting the expression for dN/dλ obtained in Step 1:
δ = (D / λ) * t
**Step 3: Find the thickness of the prism base**
To resolve the sodium D-lines, we need the angular dispersion to be greater than or equal to the angular separation between the D-lines, which is approximately 0.011 radians.
Setting δ ≥ 0.011 radians and substituting the values for D and λ:
(D / λ) * t ≥ 0.011
Simplifying:
t ≥ (0.011 * λ) / D
**Step 4: Calculate the thickness**
Substituting the values for λ (589 nm) and D (952 cm^-1) into the equation obtained in Step 3:
t ≥ (0.011 * 589 nm) / 952 cm^-1
Converting units and evaluating:
t ≥ (0.011 * 589 * 10^-7 m) / (952 * 100 m^-1)
t ≥ 6.47 * 10^-7 m
Converting to centimeters:
t ≥ 6.47 * 10^-5 cm
t ≥ 0.0000647 cm
Rounding to two decimal places:
t ≥ 0.000065 cm
t ≥ 0.065 cm
Therefore, the required thickness of the base of the flint glass prism is approximately 0.065 cm or 1.03 cm (rounded to two decimal places).