DP Physics Questionbank

Description

Nature of science:

Improved instrumentation: The optical telescope has been in use for over 500 years. It has enabled humankind to observe and hypothesize about the universe. More recently, radio telescopes have been developed to investigate the electromagnetic radiation beyond the visible region. Telescopes (both visual and radio) are now placed away from the Earth’s surface to avoid the image degradation caused by the atmosphere, while corrective optics are used to enhance images collected at the Earth’s surface. Many satellites have been launched with sensors capable of recording vast amounts of data in the infrared, ultraviolet, X-ray and other electromagnetic spectrum ranges. (1.8)

Understandings:

• Optical compound microscopes
• Simple optical astronomical refracting telescopes
• Simple optical astronomical reflecting telescopes
• Single-dish radio telescopes
• Radio interferometry telescopes
• Satellite-borne telescopes

Applications and skills:

• Constructing and interpreting ray diagrams of optical compound microscopes at normal adjustment
• Solving problems involving the angular magnification and resolution of optical compound microscopes
• Investigating the optical compound microscope experimentally
• Constructing or completing ray diagrams of simple optical astronomical refracting telescopes at normal adjustment
• Solving problems involving the angular magnification of simple optical astronomical telescopes
• Investigating the performance of a simple optical astronomical refracting telescope experimentally
• Describing the comparative performance of Earth-based telescopes and satellite-borne telescopes

Guidance:

• Simple optical astronomical reflecting telescope design is limited to Newtonian and Cassegrain mounting
• Radio interferometer telescopes should be approximated as a dish of diameter equal to the maximum separation of the antennae
• Radio interferometry telescopes refer to array telescopes

Data booklet reference:

 

International-mindedness:

• The use of the radio interferometry telescope crosses cultures with collaboration between scientists from many countries to produce arrays of interferometers that span the continents

Theory of knowledge:

• However advanced the technology, microscopes and telescopes always involve sense perception. Can technology be used effectively to extend or correct our senses?

Utilization:

• Cell observation (see Biology sub-topic 1.2)
• The information that the astronomical telescopes gather continues to allow us to improve our understanding of the universe
• Resolution is covered for other sources in Physics sub-topic 9.4

Aims:

• Aim 3: images from microscopes and telescopes both in the school laboratory and obtained via the internet enable students to apply their knowledge of these techniques
• Aim 5: research astronomy and astrophysics is an example of the need for collaboration between teams of scientists from different countries and continents
• Aim 6: local amateur or professional astronomical organizations can be useful for arranging demonstrations of the night sky

 

Directly related questions

• 16N.3.SL.TZ0.13a: Compare the focal lengths needed for the objective lens in an refracting telescope and in a...
• 16N.3.SL.TZ0.13b:

  A student has four converging lenses of focal length 5, 20, 150 and 500 mm. Determine the maximum magnification that can be obtained with a refracting telescope using two of the lenses.

• 16N.3.SL.TZ0.13e: Image 1 shows details on the petals of a flower under visible light. Image 2 shows the same...
• 16N.3.SL.TZ0.13c:

  There are optical telescopes which have diameters about 10 m. There are radio telescopes with single dishes of diameters at least 10 times greater.

  (i) Discuss why, for the same number of incident photons per unit area, radio telescopes need to be much larger than optical telescopes.

  (ii) Outline how is it possible for radio telescopes to achieve diameters of the order of a thousand kilometres.

• 16N.3.SL.TZ0.13d:

  The diagram shows a schematic view of a compound microscope with the focal points f_o of the objective lens and the focal points f_e of the eyepiece lens marked on the axis.

  

  On the diagram, identify with an X, a suitable position for the image formed by the objective of the compound microscope.

• 17M.3.SL.TZ1.7b.ii:

  The angular diameter of the Moon at the naked eye is 7.8 × 10^–3 rad.

  Calculate the angular diameter of the final image of the Moon.

• 17M.3.SL.TZ1.7b.i:

  Explain why, for the final image to form at infinity, the distance between the lenses must be 87.5 cm.

• 17M.3.SL.TZ1.7c:

  By reference to chromatic aberration, explain one advantage of a reflecting telescope over a refracting telescope.

• 17M.3.SL.TZ2.9a:

  Determine the focal length of each lens.

• 17M.3.SL.TZ2.9b:

  The telescope is used to form an image of the Moon. The angle subtended by the image of the Moon at the eyepiece is 0.16 rad. The distance to the Moon is 3.8 x 10⁸ m. Estimate the diameter of the Moon.

• 17M.3.SL.TZ2.9c:

  State two advantages of the use of satellite-borne telescopes compared to Earth-based telescopes.

  

• 20N.3.SL.TZ0.12b: Sketch a ray diagram to find the position of the images for both lenses in the compound...
• 20N.3.SL.TZ0.12a:

  Outline the meaning of normal adjustment for a compound microscope.

• 18M.3.HL.TZ2.13c:

  It is proposed to build an array of radio telescopes such that the maximum distance between them is 3800 km. The array will operate at a wavelength of 2.1 cm.

  Comment on whether it is possible to build an optical telescope operating at 580 nm that is to have the same resolution as the array.

• 18M.3.SL.TZ2.9b:

  This arrangement using the secondary mirror is said to increase the focal length of the primary mirror. State why this is an advantage.

• 18M.3.SL.TZ2.9c:

  Distinguish between this mounting and the Newtonian mounting.

• 18N.3.SL.TZ0.9a: Draw rays on the diagram to show the formation of the final image.
• 18N.3.SL.TZ0.9b.ii:

  Determine the magnification of the microscope.

• 19M.3.SL.TZ2.11bii:

  The image at I is the object for a second converging lens. This second lens forms a final image at infinity with an overall angular magnification for the two lens arrangement of 5. Calculate the distance between the two converging lenses.

• 19M.3.SL.TZ2.11biii:

  A new object is placed a few meters to the left of the original lens. The student adjusts spacing of the lenses to form a virtual image at infinity of the new object. Outline, without calculation, the required change to the lens separation.

• 17N.3.SL.TZ0.10d: The Hubble Space reflecting telescope has a Cassegrain mounting. Outline the main optical...
• 17N.3.SL.TZ0.10b:

  When the Earth-Moon distance is 363 300 km, the Moon is observed using the telescope. The mean radius of the Moon is 1737 km. Determine the focal length of the mirror used in this telescope when the diameter of the Moon’s image formed by the main mirror is 1.20 cm.

• 17N.3.SL.TZ0.10a: Complete the diagram, with a Newtonian mounting, continuing the two rays to show how they pass...
• 19N.3.SL.TZ0.8c:

  Determine, in cm, the focal length of the objective lens.

• 19N.3.SL.TZ0.8b:

  Calculate, in cm, the distance between the eyepiece and the image formed by the objective lens.