Live Quiz Arena
🎁 1 Free Round Daily
⚡ Enter ArenaQuestion
← HistoryWhich effect limited image resolution in early Islamic-era concave mirrors used for burning during sieges?
A)Atmospheric turbulence blurring the focus
B)Chromatic aberration distorting the image
C)Spherical aberration distorting the image✓
D)Diffraction limiting maximum achievable focus
💡 Explanation
When non-parabolic concave mirrors are used, spherical aberration occurs because rays from the edge of the mirror focus at a different point than those from the center, blurring the image. Therefore spherical aberration limits resolution, rather than atmospheric turbulence, chromatic aberration, or diffraction which are caused by different mechanisms.
🏆 Up to £1,000 monthly prize pool
Ready for the live challenge? Join the next global round now.
*Terms apply. Skill-based competition.
Related Questions
Browse History →- Which limitation restricted practical surveying using early medieval astrolabes, due to inherent trigonometric functions?
- Which problem did John Harrison's marine chronometer solve relating longitudinal calculation at sea in the 18th Century?
- Which accuracy constraint limited astronomical observations made using quadrant instruments in medieval Islamic observatories?
- Which risk contributed to the eventual decline in effectiveness of Roman ballista siege engines during prolonged campaigns?
- Which optical phenomenon enables the magnifying effect in Alhazen's 11th-century reading stone (a plano-convex lens)?
- Which navigational error increases aboard an 18th-century ship following thermal stressing a brass sextant?
