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Question

A concave lens has a focal length of 30 cm. At what distance should the object from the lens be placed so that it forms an image at 20 cm from the lens?

This question was previously asked in
RRB Technician 2026 Grade 3 Question Paper (7-Oct-2026) (Shift 3)
The correct answer is

60 cm in front of the lens

A concave lens always forms a virtual image on the same side as the object. Using the sign convention: f = −30 cm and v = −20 cm.

Lens formula: \( \frac{1}{v} - \frac{1}{u} = \frac{1}{f} \).

\( \frac{1}{u} = \frac{1}{v} - \frac{1}{f} = -\frac{1}{20} + \frac{1}{30} = \frac{-3 + 2}{60} = -\frac{1}{60} \)

u = −60 cm; the negative sign means the object is on the same side as the incoming light, i.e. in front of the lens.

Hence, the answer is 60 cm in front of the lens.

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Similar Questions

  1. An object is placed at a distance of 10 cm from a convex lens. The lens produces a real and magnified image with a magnification \(-3\). What is the position of the image?

  2. A student incorrectly calculates a positive object distance while using the lens formula for a real object. Based on the sign convention, what is the conceptual error in this calculation?

  3. An eye lens forms a real, inverted image 2 cm behind the retina for a distant object. What error in the eye's structure could cause this situation?

  4. A beam of white light passes through a glass prism and forms a spectrum on a screen. If you place a second identical prism after the first, inverted with respect to it, what will happen to the spectrum?

  5. If c is the speed of light in air and v is the speed of light in a medium, how is the refractive index nm of that medium defined?

  6. An object is placed 10 cm from a diverging lens with a focal length of 15 cm. What is the position of the image formed?

  7. If the object is placed at the focus of a convex lens, the image will be:

  8. A student places an object 30 cm in front of a convex lens of focal length 15 cm. Based on the lens formula, where will the image be formed?

  9. A child’s near point is 50 cm, but normal near point for a human eye is 25 cm. What is the required power of the lens to correct the child's near point?

  10. A ray of light enters a glass prism from air. Which change occurs to the speed of the light as it enters the prism?


Important Questions from Optics

  1. Who was the first one to use a glass prism to obtain the spectrum of sunlight?

  2. Twinkling of stars is due to:

  3. In which a convex mirror is used?

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    C. Makeup Mirror

    D. Kaleidoscope

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  5. The power of a lens is -2.5 D. The type of lens and its focal length are respectively:

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