What are compound eyes?
Q: What are compound eyes?
A: Compound eyes are made up of multiple photoreceptor units or ommatidia that combine to form an image perceived by the organism.
Q: What is an ommatidium?
A: An ommatidium is an individual "eye unit" that makes up a part of the compound eye.
Q: How do compound eyes differ from simple eyes?
A: Compared to simple eyes, compound eyes offer a wide-angle view and are able to detect fast movement and in some cases, polarization of light.
Q: Why do ommatidia on a convex surface point in slightly different directions?
A: Ommatidia on a convex surface point in slightly different directions in order to provide a larger range of vision for the organism.
Q: What is the main advantage of having compound eyes?
A: The main advantage of having compound eyes is that they offer a wider angle of vision and can detect fast movement.
Q: How do compound eyes perceive an image?
A: Compound eyes perceive an image by combining inputs from multiple ommatidia on a convex surface.
Q: What additional information can some compound eyes detect?
A: In addition to detecting movement and providing a wide-angle view, some compound eyes can also detect the polarization of light.
