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An Air Bubble Inside Water Behaves like a ___ Lens

An air bubble inside water behaves like a _________ lens.

Answer: Concave.

Explanation

Before getting into the answer, it is suggested to understand the similarities and properties of the air bubble and the concave lens.

Concave lens

A concave lens is a lens that contains at least one surface curved inwards. A concave lens is a diverging lens that observes and diverges the light rays. The centre of the lens is thinner when compared to its edges.

Air bubble

The air bubble is a circular sphere in shape and created of thin films of water packed with air. The air pressure inside the bubble equips the surface energy needed for the structure.

It is important to note that water and air are two different mediums with different refractive indices and optical densities. The refractive index of water is 1.33, whereas the air has a refractive index of 1

Air bubble inside Water

  1. The light rays inside water make the air bubble behave like a Concave lens. The light ray passes from a denser medium to a rarer medium. As the concave lens is called a diverging lens, it diverges all the rays falling on them.

  2. It diverges the straight light rays from the bases to an upright, virtual, diminished image and finally forms virtual and natural images.

  3. Thus, the air bubbles are a circular sphere with a convex surface, whereas when a light beam enters it, the beam is reflected as a concave lens as the air is inside the water.

  4. So, it is concluded that the refractive index of water is more significant than air and makes the air bubbles behave like a concave lens.