Understanding Lenses: Types, Functions, and Diagrams | Optics for Class 10

Understanding Lenses: Types and Functions | Optics Explained

Lenses

What is a Lens?

LENSES

A lens is an optically transparent medium bounded by two spherical refracting surfaces or one plane and one spherical surface.

Lens is basically classified into two types.

Primary Types of Lenses

They are:

  • (i) Convex Lens
  • (ii) Concave Lens

(i) Convex or bi-convex lens:

It is a lens bounded by two spherical surfaces such that it is thicker at the centre than at the edges. A beam of light passing through it, is converged to a point. So, a convex lens is also called as converging lens.

(ii) Concave or bi-concave Lens:

It is a lens bounded by two spherical surfaces such that it is thinner at the centre than at the edges. A parallel beam of light passing through it, is diverged or spread out. So, a concave lens is also called as diverging lens.

Other types of Lenses

Plano-convex lens:

If one of the faces of a bi-convex lens is plane, it is known as a plano-convex lens.

Plano-concave lens:

If one of the faces of a bi-concave lens is plane, it is known as a plano-concave lens.

All these lenses are shown in Figure 2.2 given below:

Figure 2.2 showing different types of lenses including biconvex, plano-convex, biconcave, and plano-concave.
Figure 2.2: Types of lenses

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10th Science : Chapter 2 : Optics : Lenses