What Does the Rayleigh Criterion Reveal About Image Resolution?

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The Rayleigh Criterion is a fundamental principle in optics that determines the minimum distance between two point sources for them to be distinguishable as separate images. It highlights that diffraction limits image resolution, causing close objects to appear smeared together. If two images are too close, they cannot be resolved individually, appearing as one blurred image. Understanding this criterion is essential for evaluating the resolution capabilities of optical instruments. Ultimately, the Rayleigh Criterion sets a threshold for image clarity in various imaging systems.
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Homework Statement


I'm not sure but what exactly does the Rayleigh Criterion mean? Also, what does it mean when they say the "resolution" of the image...?
Thanks.


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The Attempt at a Solution

 
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No matter how good your instrument is there will be diffraction. So your image will be smeared a bit. Well if you have two images fairly close to each other you won't be able to resolve both of them if they lie too close to each other, since they are smeared a bit they will look like one image. The Rayleigh criterion defines how close the images can be together that you can still distinguish between the both of them.
 

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