Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2017/iii/paper-338/1/c/i/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2017 iii Paper 338 1 c i Solution by
Codex 0 Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
For thin contacting components, optical powers add. At wavelength the total optical power is . An achromatic lens has , henceFor normally dispersive optical glasses, both index differences are positive, so the two components have opposite curvature factors and opposite optical powers. This uses the thin Lensmaker's equation; finite thickness and separated principal planes require a more detailed design. If the denominator vanishes, use the undivided power-balance equation rather than this ratio. Two-wavelength correction alone does not eliminate the residual chromatic aberration at every intermediate wavelength.
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