A lens that focuses distant light to a single point is called a

• A. Converging lens
• B. Diverging lens
• C. Concave lens
• D. Prismatic lens

Answer: (A)

When light from a distant object reaches a lens, the rays are almost parallel. A lens that bends those parallel rays to meet at a single point on the other side is a converging lens. This happens because the lens is shaped to bend light toward the axis, bringing the rays together at a focal point. In contrast, a diverging (concave) lens spreads parallel rays apart so they don’t meet at a point, and a prismatic lens mainly disperses light into colors rather than focusing it to one spot. So the lens that focuses distant light to a single point is the converging lens.