Numerical aperture

{
  "id": "MLC-T-CHM-008164",
  "term": "Numerical aperture",
  "field": "Chemistry",
  "definition": "A dimensionless quantity that indicates the light-gathering ability of an optical system, such as a microscope objective or an optical fiber. It is defined by the sine of the largest angle of a cone of light that can enter or exit the lens, multiplied by the refractive index of the medium. A higher numerical aperture corresponds to a greater ability to resolve fine detail.",
  "subject": "Analytical Chemistry",
  "references": [
    "PAC, 2021, 93, 647. 'Glossary of methods and terms used in analytical spectroscopy (IUPAC Recommendations 2019)' on page 757 (https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2019-0203)"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/chemistry/numerical-aperture/"
}