For detection of light, minimum amount of light (quanta) reaching retina should be:: (A) 1, (B) 6-May, (C) 54, (D) More than 500
Answer is B. "Visual threshold" is the minimum amount of light detected by retina. Threshold for a single rod is 1 quantum of light. To distinguish light from this discharge, at least 5-6 rods should be excited synchronously. Hence, about 5-6 quanta of light is the 'visual threshold' for retina. For 5-6 rods to be excited, about 100 quanta of light should reach the eye (cornea). Many of the quanta are absorbed, reflected, or refracted in the intervening ocular media.