A student measures the thickness of a human hair by looking at it through a microscope of magnification 100. He makes 20 observations and finds that the average width of the hair in the field of view of the microscope is 3.5 mm. What is the estimate on the thickness of hair?
The estimate on the thickness of hair is 0.035 mm.
Explanation
This question tests the understanding of magnification and measurement. The microscope magnifies the image by a factor of 100, meaning the observed size is 100 times larger than the actual size. To find the actual thickness, we divide the observed width by the magnification factor. The student made 20 observations to get a reliable average, which is good practice for reducing random errors in measurement.
Solution Steps
Given: Magnification = 100, Average width in field of view = 3.5 mm
Formula: Magnification = Observed size / Actual size, therefore Actual size = Observed size / Magnification
Calculation: Actual thickness = 3.5 mm / 100 = 0.035 mm
Answer: The estimated thickness of the human hair is 0.035 mm.