Question #12
The words "CHOICE MATERIAL GLASS OXIDE" are printed in block letters, with
"CHOICE" and "OXIDE" in red and "MATERIAL GLASS" in
blue. These words are photographed in the top half of the figure
below. When the words are photographed through a glass rod immediately
in front of them their appearance changes somewhat, as can be seen in the
bottom half of the figure. (The top photograph is a view looking over the
glass rod at the letters.)
The question is what is responsible for this rather unusual phenomenon?
- (a) The dispersive effect of the difference in color causes the
focusing properties of the rod to be different from red to blue.
- (b) The rod might be different between the red and the blue letters,
causing the focusing to change.
- (c) Polarization may play an important role in causing differences in
internal reflectivity that lead to different focal properties.
- (d) Other.
Click here for Answer #12 after May 15, 2000.
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