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Given that frogs are nearsighted in air, which statement is most likely to be true about their vision in water? (a) They are even more nearsighted; because water has a higher index of refraction than air, a frog's ability to focus light increases in water. (b) They are less nearsighted, because the cornea is less effective at refracting light in water than in air. (c) Their vision is no different, because only structures that are internal to the eye can affect the eye's ability to focus. (d) The images projected on the retina are no longer inverted, because the eye in water functions as a diverging lens rather than a converging lens.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Frogs are less nearsighted in water due to the cornea's reduced effectiveness in refracting light.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding the Problem

The problem asks about the vision of frogs when they move from air to water. We need to consider how the refraction of light changes in these different mediums and how it affects frogs' eyesight.
02

Analyzing Refractive Index

Air has a lower refractive index than water. When light travels from air to water, it bends due to the increase in the refractive index. Therefore, the cornea, which significantly refracts light in air, will have a different effect in water.
03

Examining the Cornea's Role

In the air, the cornea contributes majorly to focusing light by bending (refracting) it. However, in water, since water has a similar refractive index to that of the cornea, the cornea becomes less effective at refracting light.
04

Evaluating Options

Based on the analysis, (a) suggests that frogs become more nearsighted because of increased refraction, which is incorrect as the cornea refracts less in water. (b) suggests less nearsightedness due to a less effective cornea, which is logical. (c) suggests vision remains unchanged, ignoring the refractive index's impact. (d) discusses inverted images and diverging lenses, which is unrelated to nearsightedness.
05

Determining the Correct Statement

Given the role of the cornea and changes in refractive indices, option (b) correctly identifies that frogs are less nearsighted in water due to the reduced effectiveness of the cornea in refracting light.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Refractive Index
The refractive index is a key concept in understanding how light behaves as it moves from one medium to another. It is a measure of how much the speed of light decreases inside a medium compared to a vacuum.
In simpler terms, it indicates how much light bends when entering a new substance.
When light goes from air (with a lower refractive index) into water (with a higher refractive index), it slows down and bends towards the normal.
  • Air has a refractive index close to 1.
  • Water's refractive index is about 1.33, indicating more bending of light.
This bending or refraction is crucial for vision, as it focuses light rays onto the retina. Changes in the refractive index when moving from air to water greatly impact how animals like frogs see their environment.
Cornea's Role in Vision
The cornea is a transparent layer at the front of the eye that significantly refracts light, especially in air. Its curvature and the difference in refractive indices between air and the cornea allow it to bend light towards the retina.
In air, the cornea's refractive power is significant due to the stark contrast between the refractive indices of air and the corneal tissue. When submerged in water, the contrast in refractive indices between the water and the cornea is reduced. Here's why:
  • In air, the cornea's role is amplified due to the large refractive index difference.
  • In water, the cornea and the surrounding medium have similar refractive indices, thus weaker refractive power.
This change affects how well the eye can focus light, making the cornea less effective at focusing light when in water.
Light Refraction in Water
Light refraction in water is a critical factor that influences how underwater vision operates. When light travels from a medium like air into water, it refracts, or bends, due to the different refractive indices. This bending is crucial underwater, where the refractive index of water is closer to that of many biological tissues.
  • Light slows down as it enters water.
  • This reduction in speed causes the light to bend.
The reduced effectiveness of light focus by the cornea in water can lead to clearer vision for aquatic animals who are naturally nearsighted in air.
This happens because the light refracts less upon entering the eye, allowing more of it to focus correctly on the retina.
Nearsightedness in Animals
Nearsightedness, or myopia, occurs when the eyes focus images in front of the retina rather than on it. This makes distant objects appear blurry. In animals, this is often adapted for specific environmental needs. For creatures like frogs, which are nearsighted in air, this is not necessarily a disadvantage. Their lifestyle primarily requires acute up-close vision for hunting and navigating their immediate environment.
  • Myopia allows for sharp focus on nearby objects.
  • Some animals, like frogs, have adapted eyes for their typical habitats.
When these animals enter water, the effect of nearsightedness can diminish. The decrease in corneal refraction due to water's refractive index often results in clearer distant vision, aligning with underwater needs.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

The crystalline lens of the human eye is a double-convex lens made of material having an index of refraction of 1.44 (although this varies). Its focal length in air is about 8.0 mm, which also varies. We shall assume that the radii of curvature of its two surfaces have the same magnitude. (a) Find the radii of curvature of this lens. (b) If an object 16 cm tall is placed 30.0 cm from the eye lens, where would the lens focus it and how tall would the image be? Is this image real or virtual? Is it erect or inverted? (\(Note\): The results obtained here are not strictly accurate because the lens is embedded in fluids having refractive indexes different from that of air.)

The diameter of Mars is 6794 km, and its minimum distance from the earth is 5.58 \(\times\) 10\(^7\)km. When Mars is at this distance, find the diameter of the image of Mars formed by a spherical, concave telescope mirror with a focal length of 1.75 m.

A camera with a 90-mm-focal-length lens is focused on an object 1.30 m from the lens. To refocus on an object 6.50 m from the lens, by how much must the distance between the lens and the sensor be changed? To refocus on the more distant object, is the lens moved toward or away from the sensor?

A convex spherical mirror with a focal length of magnitude 24.0 cm is placed 20.0 cm to the left of a plane mirror. An object 0.250 cm tall is placed midway between the surface of the plane mirror and the vertex of the spherical mirror. The spherical mirror forms multiple images of the object. Where are the two images of the object formed by the spherical mirror that are closest to the spherical mirror, and how tall is each image?

You want to view through a magnifier an insect that is 2.00 mm long. If the insect is to be at the focal point of the magnifier, what focal length will give the image of the insect an angular size of 0.032 radian?

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