Multiple choice general knowledge science & technology

What do you understand by gravitational lensing?

  1. When Earth's gravity acts as the telescope's lens.

  2. When gravity interrupts the telescope's imaging.

  3. When the light from a very distant galaxy or quasar gets "bent" around a massive object like a group or cluster of galaxies which acts like a lens.

  4. Light from the visible universe seen from Earth due to the Earth's gravity.

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Gravitational lensing occurs when a massive object (like a galaxy cluster) bends spacetime, causing light from distant objects to curve around it. The massive object acts as a lens, magnifying and distorting the light from background sources - galaxies or quasars behind it. This effect, predicted by Einstein's General Relativity, has nothing to do with Earth's gravity interrupting telescopes. It's a powerful tool for studying dark matter and distant galaxies. Options A, B, and D incorrectly focus on Earth's gravity rather than massive astronomical objects.