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Wave Optics

Question
CBSEENPH12038349

Answer the following questions:
Ray optics is based on the assumption that light travels in a straight line. Diffraction effects (observed when light propagates through small apertures/slits or around small obstacles) disprove this assumption. Yet the ray optics assumption is so commonly used in understanding location and several other properties of images in optical instruments. What is the justification?

Solution
Typical sizes of the apertures involved in ordinary optical instruments are much large than the wavelength of light. Henceforth, the diffraction effects of light waves are negligibly small in these instruments and is of negligible or no significance. Thus, the assumption that light travels in straight lines can be safely used in the optical instruments.