In a digital camera, the image detected by the sensor forms at the location where light rays coming from the object converge.

In a digital camera, the image detected by the sensor forms at the location where light rays coming from the object converge.

• A. Light rays coming from the object converge.
• B. The camera lens is very close to the object.
• C. Light rays coming from the object spread apart.
• D. The image can only be seen from the same side of the lens as the dog.

Answer: (A)

Light from each point on the object is gathered by the lens and refracted so that rays from that point meet at a single spot on the image plane. In a digital camera, the sensor sits exactly at that convergence location, so it records the sharp point where the rays intersect, forming the image. If the rays spread apart at the sensor instead of converging, you don’t get a focused point and the image would be blurry. The distance to the object or which side of the lens you’re on don’t change the fact that the sensor captures the convergence point; what matters is that the lens brings the rays from each object point to converge on the sensor.

Light from each point on the object is gathered by the lens and refracted so that rays from that point meet at a single spot on the image plane. In a digital camera, the sensor sits exactly at that convergence location, so it records the sharp point where the rays intersect, forming the image. If the rays spread apart at the sensor instead of converging, you don’t get a focused point and the image would be blurry. The distance to the object or which side of the lens you’re on don’t change the fact that the sensor captures the convergence point; what matters is that the lens brings the rays from each object point to converge on the sensor.