What causes chromatic aberration in lenses?

What causes chromatic aberration in lenses?

• A. Different wavelengths of light focusing at different points
• B. The lens being made from poor quality materials
• C. Improper alignment of the lens
• D. The lens being too thick to focus light

Answer: (A)

Chromatic aberration occurs due to the fundamental property of lenses, where different wavelengths of light refract at different angles as they pass through the lens material. This happens because each color (or wavelength) of light travels at a slightly different speed in glass or any other optical material. As a result, when white light, which is a mixture of all the colors, enters the lens, the various colors will bend differently upon exiting the lens. This variation leads to colors focusing at different points along the optical axis, resulting in a blurred image with color fringes around bright edges in the final image. This optical phenomenon emphasizes the importance of using high-quality materials and designs in lens fabrication to minimize such aberrations, but the root cause is the inherent difference in the refractive index for each wavelength. The other considerations around lens quality, alignment, or thickness can affect overall performance and image quality, but they do not directly cause chromatic aberration like the wavelength dependence of light does.

Chromatic aberration occurs due to the fundamental property of lenses, where different wavelengths of light refract at different angles as they pass through the lens material. This happens because each color (or wavelength) of light travels at a slightly different speed in glass or any other optical material. As a result, when white light, which is a mixture of all the colors, enters the lens, the various colors will bend differently upon exiting the lens. This variation leads to colors focusing at different points along the optical axis, resulting in a blurred image with color fringes around bright edges in the final image.

This optical phenomenon emphasizes the importance of using high-quality materials and designs in lens fabrication to minimize such aberrations, but the root cause is the inherent difference in the refractive index for each wavelength. The other considerations around lens quality, alignment, or thickness can affect overall performance and image quality, but they do not directly cause chromatic aberration like the wavelength dependence of light does.