The compound light microscope is commonly used in laboratories to view specimens on glass slides, magnifying objects up to 2,000 times their actual size. It has an eyepiece, light source, and objective lenses that can magnify specimens four to 100 times. It is used in various areas of science and is an essential tool in medicine, genetics, and forensics.
A compound light microscope, also known as a brightfield microscope, is an instrument commonly used within the laboratory to view specimens mounted on a glass slide. The compound microscope magnifies the object on the slide such that the smallest structures become visible and clear. With advances in technology, the brightfield microscope has broken the limitations of the simple microscope by allowing structures in the slide to be magnified up to 2,000 times their actual size. Simple microscopes consist of a single lens and work like a magnifying glass, while compound light microscope usually uses multiple lenses.
The compound light microscope has many important parts. An eyepiece is where the individual positions his or her eye to look through the microscope. A light source, usually in the form of an incandescent bulb, is strategically placed at the base. There is also a switch found on the side of the base that turns it on and off.
When the switch is turned on, light shines upwards from the base through an opening in the stage, into the area where the slide is located. A lever located under the stage controls how much light to use. It is important to use the right amount of light to observe and see the specimen clearly.
There are two sets of lenses in a compound light microscope, allowing for greater magnification of the specimen. The first lens is at the top, is much closer to the eye, and magnifies the object ten times its actual size. Another set of lenses is located on the nose pad. These are collectively known as objective lenses, which are capable of magnifying the specimen four times, ten times, 40 times and 100 times its actual size.
When the magnification used is four times the actual size, it is called a scan power objective and is identified by its red stripe. The low magnification objective has ten times magnification and has a yellow stripe. A blue striped power lens is used to identify high power lens which can magnify objects up to 40 times. Finally, there’s the oil immersion objective which has a 100x magnification and is identified by its black and white stripes.
Compound light microscopes are mainly used in various areas of science such as forensics, microbiology, genetics, geology, and botany. They can also be found within classrooms as essential study tools for students studying science. The compound light microscope is generally an indispensable tool in the practice of medicine, in the ongoing search for answers to genetic problems, and in solving crimes.
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