Difference Between Concave Convex Lens

difference between concave convex lens

A concave lens is thicker at the edges than in the middle, while a convex lens is thinner at the edges than in the middle.

What is a Lens?

A lens is a transparent optical element with curved surfaces that focuses or disperses light. A simple lens consists of a single piece of transparent material, while a compound lens consists of several simple lenses (elements), usually arranged along a common axis. Lenses are made from materials such as glass, plastic, and quartz.

Concave and Convex Lenses – Definition

, Difference & Uses

A lens is a transparent object that bends light to form an image. A lens can be either convex (bulging outwards) or concave (hollowed out).

Convex lenses are used to correct short-sightedness because they converge (bring together) the light rays that enter the eye. This makes distant objects appear clearer.

Concave lenses are used to correct long-sightedness because they diverge (spread out) the light rays that enter the eye. This makes close objects appear clearer.

What are Concave Lenses?

A concave lens is a lens that is thinner in the middle than it is at the edges. This type of lens is used to correct nearsightedness, or myopia.

Types of Concave Lenses

The two types of concave lenses are the biconcave lens and the plano-concave lens.

Biconcave Lens

A biconcave lens is a concave lens that is thicker in the middle and thinner at the edges. This type of lens is used to correct nearsightedness, or myopia.

Plano-Concave Lens

A plano-concave lens is a concave lens that is flat on one side and curved on the other. This type of lens is used to correct farsightedness, or hyperopia.

Applications of Concave Lenses

Concave lenses have numerous applications, the most common of which is eyeglasses. A concave lens corrects farsightedness, or hyperopia, by bringing distant objects into focus. Concave lenses are also used in microscopes and telescopes to produce a magnified image of distant objects.

What are Convex Lenses?

A convex lens is a type of lens that is thicker at the edges than it is in the middle. This type of lens is used to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.

Types of Convex Lenses

There are two types of convex lenses – positive and negative. Positive lenses are thicker in the middle than they are at the edges. Negative lenses are thinner in the middle than they are at the edges.

Applications of Convex Lenses

• eyeglasses

• corrective lenses

• magnifying glasses

• microscopes

• telescopes

• cameras