Lesson 5: THE COMPOUND MICROSCOPE Flashcards
an instrument that uses one or more lenses to produce a magnified image of an object that is invisible to the naked eye.
Microscope
most commonly used in laboratories. It uses the principle of light microscopy (also called optical microscope) in which it uses natural or artificial transmitted light as the source of light to illuminate an object.
compound microscope
A simple compound microscope can
see as tiny as
0.1 micrometer (μm) or 100 nanometers (nm) diameter
has high magnification but lower resolution resulting to a less sharp image compared to some advanced types of microscopes.
Compound Microscope
the ability of a microscope to see a tiny object 1000 times.
Magnification
should be coupled with good resolution to visualize small microorganisms; that alone will produce a blurred image.
Magnification
The total magnifying power of the compound microscope is the product of
magnification of the objective lens and that of the eyepiece
A simple compound microscope has a magnification power of
10X, 40X and 100X
The light source, usually an electric lamp, which transmits light through a translucent object for viewing and controlled by an on/off switch. You can control the amount of light entering the specimen by adjusting the diaphragm.
The Illumination System
The surface or platform on which you place the microscope slide. In the center of it is an opening called aperture. On some microscopes, it is stationary and has clips to hold the slide in place. On other microscopes, it is movable and is called a mechanical stage. Movement is controlled by 2 knobs located on the top, side, or bottom of it.
Stage
The area under the stage, may contain a diaphragm, a condenser, or both.
Substage
consisting of a single eyepiece
Monocular
the lenses you look through. In binocular microscopes it can be adjusted to match the distance between the eyes of different observers. The magnifications are usually stamped on the side of it (most are 10X).
Eyepiece/Ocular Lens
consisting of a pair of eyepieces
Binocular
Light travels from the objectives through a series of magnifying lenses in it to the ocular. In some microscopes, it is straight; in others, the oculars are held at an angle. It contains a prism that bends the light rays so that they will pass through the oculars.
Body tube