Convex Lenses are used to focus light and form a image. They are transparent.
They are one type of lenses. Different type of lenses are used to focus light differently. The basic lenses are concave and convex. Convex lenses converge light falling on it whereas concave lenses diverge light falling on it.
(a) The net flux through the coil is zero.
In fact, the magnetic field generated by the wire forms concentric circles around the wire. The wire is placed along the diameter of the coil, so we can imagine as it divides the coil into two emisphere. Therefore, the magnetic field of the wire is perpendicular to the plane of the coil, but the direction of the field is opposite in the two emispheres. Since the two emispheres have same area, then the magnetic fluxes in the two emispheres are equal but opposite in sign, and so they cancel out when summing them together to find the net flux.
(b) If the wire passes through the center of the coil but it is perpendicular to the plane of the wire, the net flux through the coil is still zero.
In fact, the magnetic field generated by the wire forms concentric lines around the wire, so it is parallel to the plane of the coil. But the flux is equal to

where

is the angle between the direction of the magnetic field and the perpendicular to the plane of the coil, so in this case

and so the cosine is zero, therefore the net flux is zero.
If I remember correctly (from my studies long time ago) the layers are from the outer to the center:
SiAl : Silicon-Aluminum
SiMa : Silicon-Magnesium (although should be Mg)
NiFe : Nickel-Iron
The SiMa layer should have the lightest elements (Magnesium is lighter than Aluminum)