Q 9.10: What is the focal length of a convex lens of focal length 30cm in contact with a concave lens of focal length 20cm? Is the system a converging or a diverging lens? Ignore the thickness of the lenses.
When two lenses are in contact, the equivalent is given by
where and are the focal length of two individual lenses.
So, given,
30 cm, and (as focal length of the convex lens is positive and that of the concave lens is negative by convention),
putting these values together,
Hence, the equivalent focal length will be -60 cm and since it is negative, it is behaving as a concave lens, which is also called diverging lens.