When light rays exit a lens, which description best describes their direction?

• A. They are refracted away from the central axis.
• B. They exit parallel to the path in which they entered.
• C. They are refracted toward the central axis.
• D. They exit at a slower speed than they entered.

Answer: (C)

Light changes direction when it moves between media, and a converging (convex) lens causes parallel rays to bend toward the optical (central) axis as they pass through. After exiting, the ray continues along a path directed toward the axis, which is how such a lens helps focus parallel light toward a point on the opposite side. The other ideas aren’t describing the exit direction: entering parallel rays don’t generally leave parallel to their entry path, a diverging lens would bend rays away from the axis, and speed changes describe how fast light travels, not the exit direction.