Question

I want to ask this question and it may seem silly but I rather ask it here than try to find it. The question was, what type of lenses is a magnifying glass? It could be converging, diverging or both. I put converging due to the fact we need a magnifying glass to see much close or for it to be bigger. But someone choose diverging. Which one is correct?

Answer 1

this is a good question. and it is certainly not silly.

a magnifying glass works both ways after all.

i'll happily re-awake some gray matter if someone else more current on light does not nail this for you.

Answer 2

Converging, because it focuses light, you know, you can light stuff on fire with just a magnifying glass and a bit of sunlight.

That wouldn't work if it were diverging.

Answer 3

@zimmah

indeed, but it works both ways.

you can "see small things" with a magnifying glass.

perhaps there is some dark magic at work?!?!

Answer 4

It is converging! What you see (or don't) just depends on where the object you're looking at (and your eye) is in relation to the focal point of the magnifying glass.

If the object is placed between the focal point and the lens, you will see a virtual image that is upright and magnified (i.e. you will be using the magnifying glass for the purpose it was designed for).

If you're trying to focus light as @zimmah said, then the thing you're trying to focus the light must be at the focal point of the magnifying glass. You know, where the light is being...focused :P

As a matter of fact, you could even see an UPSIDE DOWN magnified image if the object is between the the focal point and the centre of curvature of the magnifying glass (and your eye is in the right spot).

Have a look here for a great summary of converging (and diverging) lens:
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/refrn/Lesson-5/Converging-Lenses-Object-Image-Relations

Answer 5

converging !

Answer 6

As you can see, converging lines will eventually diverge once they touch, but diverging lines will never converge.

Even though diverging lines will become converging at some point, they're still diverging to start with.

Answer 7

The last sentence should be "Even though converging lines will become diverging at some point, they're still converging to start with." I messed that one up, sorry.