What happens to the light rays that pass through a concave lens?

Study for the Optics 7 Test with flashcards and multiple choice questions with hints and explanations. Prepare to ace your exam!

When light rays pass through a concave lens, they diverge, meaning they spread out away from a common point. This occurs because a concave lens is thinner in the center than at the edges. As light strikes the lens, it refracts, or bends, outward due to the lens's shape and the difference in the refractive index of the material compared to air.

Rather than converging to a focus point, as is the case with convex lenses, the diverging effect of the concave lens causes the light rays to appear as though they are originating from a virtual focal point located on the same side of the lens as the incoming light. This is a characteristic property of concave lenses and is a fundamental principle in optics regarding how they manipulate light.

In contrast, other options suggest different behaviors of light that do not apply to concave lenses, such as convergence or being absorbed, which are not the primary effects exhibited by this type of lens.

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