What happens to light rays when they pass through a concave lens?

When light rays pass through a concave lens, they diverge, meaning that after refraction, the rays spread out rather than converging to a point. Concave lenses are thicker at the edges and thinner in the middle, which creates a specific way of bending light. When parallel rays enter a concave lens, they are refracted outward, causing them to appear as if they are originating from a focal point on the same side of the lens as the incoming light. This focal point is virtual, as the light rays do not actually meet at this point but instead seem to do so when extended backward.

The diverging effect of concave lenses is utilized in various optical devices, such as eyeglasses for nearsightedness, where the lens helps to spread the incoming light rays out, making it easier for the eye to focus clearly on distant objects. In contrast, converging lenses, like convex lenses, bring light rays together to a focal point on the opposite side, which is not the case with concave lenses. Thus, the behavior of light in a concave lens distinctly contrasts with these other scenarios.