How Big Must the Mirror Be to Focus a Megawatt per Square Meter on a Monkey?

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    Intensity Mirrors
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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around determining the size of a mirror required to focus a specific intensity of light onto a small surface area. The subject area includes optics and intensity calculations, particularly in the context of using a spherical mirror to achieve a high power density.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the relationship between intensity, power, and area using the equation I = P / A. There are questions about the clarity of the problem statement and whether a numerical answer or a functional equation is required. Some participants discuss the implications of using a parabolic versus a spherical mirror and the importance of focal length and distance in the setup.

Discussion Status

The discussion is active, with participants raising various interpretations and considerations regarding the problem. Some have suggested that intensity is a key factor, while others are questioning the specifics of the mirror type and its geometry. There is no explicit consensus yet on the approach to take.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that the problem may lack clarity regarding the type of mirror and the necessary parameters for calculation. The original poster has indicated that they are unsure how to relate the sun's intensity to the mirror's power output.

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Homework Statement



The EPM has finally crossed the fine line between party tricks and felonies
with the genocide of the pigmy marmoset. You are now determined to make him '
pay the price. You fashion a makeshift sherical mirror/laster beam our of a
roll of aluminum foil and a stick of bubblegum. Considering the power radiated
from the sun lands on Earth with a maximum flux of almost a kilowatt per square
meter:


How large should the surface of the mirror be, if you are to deliver over a
megawatt per square meter over a 1 square centimeter monkey-butt surface?



Homework Equations




I = P / A

The Attempt at a Solution



I have tried this several times but I don't see the link between everything. I obviously have to use I = P / A and solve for A(mirror)
 
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Just to clarify, this is a mirror and not a lens...right?
 
correct...
 
The question as i am reading isn't very clear. You would have to have a parabolic mirror to focus the light...so it would depend...unless I am missing something
 
it's a spherical mirror...specifically a concave sphere...

I know i have to use intensity but i don't know how i can relate the suns intensity to that of the mirror ; and / or power
 
Well, it would depend on the focal length of the mirror and the distance between obects
 
does the problem want a numerical answer, or an equation as a function of focal length and distance?
 
You have as much information as I do. It is all stated above. It wants to know how much area the mirror must have. hence i find the Intensity possibly very useful, since I = P / A ... but how can P be related from the sun to the mirror
 
Well, a mirror of size A=1000m^2 would obviously give you that amount of energy...but I am not sure about other parameters and how they would affect...sorry