A camera uses a converging lense to form an image. That image is?
The correct answer and explanation is:
Correct Answer: Real and inverted
Explanation (300 words):
A camera uses a converging lens (also known as a convex lens) to form an image of an object. Understanding the type of image formed requires basic knowledge of optics and how lenses work.
A converging lens bends light rays so they come together (converge) at a point called the focal point. When an object is placed beyond the focal point of a converging lens, such as in a camera, the light rays from the object are bent by the lens and meet at a point on the other side of the lens to form an image.
In this situation, the image formed has the following characteristics:
- Real: The image is called real because the light rays actually meet at the image location. Real images can be projected onto a screen, which is what happens inside a camera — the image is projected onto a light-sensitive film or digital sensor.
- Inverted: The image is upside down compared to the object. This inversion occurs because of the way light rays cross after passing through the lens.
Inside a digital or film camera, the lens gathers light from the scene and focuses it onto a sensor or film located at the back of the camera. The distance between the lens and the sensor is adjusted (by focusing) to ensure the image is sharp. Because the object (scene) is typically far from the lens, the image forms at a location between the lens and its focal point on the opposite side, resulting in a real and inverted image.
Cameras compensate for the inversion either digitally (in modern devices) or by flipping the image later in the development process.
In conclusion, the image formed by a converging lens in a camera is real and inverted.