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A transparent plastic bag filled with air forms a concave lens. Now, if this bag is completely immersed in water, then it behaves as ________.

Asked in GUJCET 2011 · Lens maker's formula and power

Answer: (2) Convergent lens

Step-by-step solution

Given: a concave-shaped pocket of air, surrounded by water.

Idea: what a lens does depends on how its material compares with what surrounds it, through 1/f=((nₗₑₙₛ)/(n_medium)-1)(1/(R₁)-1/(R₂)).

For glass in air the bracket is 1.5-1>0, so a concave shape diverges.

Here the material is air and the medium is water: (1.00)/(1.33)-1<0.

The shape factor is unchanged, but the bracket in front of it has flipped sign, so the concave shape now converges.

The air bag therefore acts as a convergent lens in water.

Why the other options are wrong

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