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About Microscope Basics
by Lysis
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Overview
About Microscope Basics
Microscopes are one of the most important tools in a laboratory. A microscope can see objects that are not visible by the human eye through its eyepiece and magnified objective lens. Most students start with the compound microscope, which can view small organisms such as amoebas and bacteria.
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Eyepiece Lens
The eyepiece is used to see the object. It has magnification associated with it, although it is not as high as the objective lens. Most eyepieces have a magnification power of 10-15x.
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Illuminator
The illuminator is a small light that sits under the stage. It shines a bright light onto the object for better viewing.
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The Stage
The stage is where the object is placed. It is directly under the objective lens. The stage has controls that slide it up or down and sideways to position the focal point for observation.
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Objective Lens
The objective lens is what gives the microscope its power. There are four lenses which allow for 4X, 10X, 40X and 100X magnification.
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Calculating Total Magnification
To calculate the total magnification that is seen through the ocular (eyepiece) and the objective lens, multiply the ocular and the objective. If your ocular has a magnification of 10 and you use the 40X objective lens, then the object you view is seen at 400X magnification power.
