What type of lens would diverge light?

A diverging lens is designed to spread out light rays that are initially parallel to its principal axis. The key characteristic of a diverging lens is its shape, which typically has a thinner center compared to its edges. This design causes the incoming parallel rays of light to refract outward, making them appear as if they are emanating from a specific point known as the focal point, which is virtual and located on the same side of the lens as the incoming light.

In the case of the biconcave lens, the surfaces of the lens are curved inward, leading to this divergence of light rays. This configuration effectively causes the rays to spread apart after passing through the lens, making the biconcave lens an ideal choice for applications that require light to be dispersed, such as in certain optical devices.

The other lens types listed—convex, biconvex, and plano-convex—are all converging lenses, meaning they focus parallel incoming rays toward a specific point on the opposite side of the lens. Their shapes are designed to bend light rays inward, rather than outward, which is contrary to the behavior of a diverging lens. Thus, among the options provided, the biconcave lens is indeed the one that