Which statement about a concave lens is incorrect?

Which statement about a concave lens is incorrect?

• A. Concave lenses diverge parallel rays.
• B. Concave lenses produce virtual images for distant objects.
• C. Concave lenses can reduce the size of an image.
• D. Concave lenses magnify objects.

Answer: (D)

A concave (diverging) lens spreads out light. When light passes through it, rays are made to diverge, and the images formed are virtual (they appear on the same side as the object), upright, and smaller than the object. Because the lens never produces a larger, real, magnified image by itself, it cannot magnify objects. So the statement that a concave lens magnifies objects is incorrect. The other descriptions fit what a concave lens does: parallel rays are made to diverge as if coming from a focal point on the same side, distant objects produce virtual images, and the resulting image is diminished in size.

A concave (diverging) lens spreads out light. When light passes through it, rays are made to diverge, and the images formed are virtual (they appear on the same side as the object), upright, and smaller than the object. Because the lens never produces a larger, real, magnified image by itself, it cannot magnify objects.

So the statement that a concave lens magnifies objects is incorrect. The other descriptions fit what a concave lens does: parallel rays are made to diverge as if coming from a focal point on the same side, distant objects produce virtual images, and the resulting image is diminished in size.