mishima said:I'm confusing myself trying to explain the pinhole projector (card with pin point hole used to watch eclipses). How many photons are required, or how small a hole could you maintain, to still get the apparent shape in the projection? Why? Obviously only one photon isn't enough to describe the shape in a projection, and too small a hole would eventually produce diffraction and interference. Any thoughts?
The number of photons needed for an effective pinhole projector depends on the size of the projected image and the sensitivity of the detector. Generally, thousands to millions of photons are required for a clear image.
Yes, a pinhole projector can produce different shapes depending on the shape and size of the hole. A round hole will produce a circular image, while a square or triangular hole will produce a corresponding shape.
The size of the hole for a pinhole projector depends on the wavelength of the light source and the distance between the hole and the detector. Generally, the hole should be smaller than the wavelength of the light to produce a clear image.
The size of the hole directly affects the quality of the image produced by a pinhole projector. A smaller hole will produce a sharper image, while a larger hole will result in a more blurred image.
The ideal distance between the hole and the detector for a pinhole projector depends on the size of the hole and the desired size of the projected image. Generally, the closer the detector is to the hole, the larger the image will be, but it may also result in a more blurred image.