A microscope offers a magnified image of the object you are viewing under it. The image might appear to float right above the observation tube.
The image is the direct representation of the object itself. With the details, intensity, color, and shape.
These expectations can be fulfilled with the right skills. Skills such as magnifying the Microscope. You need a few simple mathematical steps to fare better.
It might seem a bit daunting at first. But we will give you a simple guide.
Follow along to know more about calculating a microscope’s magnification. Let’s clear a few basic concepts before we get to that.
How do lenses magnify in a Microscope?
You are looking through a biconcave lens while peeking at an image. With the object placed on the farthest side.
Light passes through this lens and bends. To your eye, it might seem to be coming from a bigger object.
Modern microscopes contain more than one lens. An eyepiece lens and an objective lens are vital for magnification.
While the eyepiece lens magnifies 10x. The objective lens will magnify at 40x. When you know the calibration of either of the lenses, the calculation becomes easy.
Increasing the number of lenses does not change the magnification principle. But it improves the quality of image.
Components of a microscope
A microscope is a simple magnifier. Several components lend it the ability to magnify.
The two major parts of a microscope are- Objective and Eyepiece. For better understanding, let’s throw some light on each.
Microscope Objective
The objective of a microscope is the most complex component of the system. Without the objective, magnification remains redundant.
Objectives offer magnifications ranging in between 2X to 200X. They come as two variants- the Refractive type and the Reflective type.
Both reflective and refractive objectives into two categories. The finite conjugate and the infinite conjugate are further classifications.
Since our goal is magnification, let’s discuss a bit more about traditional Objectives.
Refractive objectives
Refractive objectives are most commonly used in a microscope. The light passing through is bent or refracted.
Each optical element has an anti-reflection coating. This eliminates back reflection and improves output. Refractive objectives are of use in machines requiring extreme resolution.
Reflective Objectives
Reflective objectives use a mirror-based design. They are equipped with primary and secondary systems. Both the mirror systems enhance the magnification.
Metallic surfaces reflect light, whereas glass surfaces don’t. In line with this principle, reflective objectives don’t cause aberrations. This is not entirely true for reflective type objectives.
Microscope Eyepiece
Eyepieces play an essential role in a microscope. Traditionally eyepieces were the only channel for viewing the image.
A microscope’s eyepiece consists of a field and eye lens. Modern designs on eyepieces have enabled a better field of vision.
Image Quality and the Lenses
Microscope lenses differ primarily in terms of quality. The quality of the glass used, and the shapes are the factors affecting image quality.
If the lens is not correctly aligned it will affect the magnification. All these factors are essential for maintaining image integrity.
What is magnification in a microscope?
Magnification in a microscope is the degree of enlargement of an object. Magnification is typically measured as 2X, 4X, and 10X. The numerical value indicates how enlarged the image is.
Magnification is not a major factor for an image’s quality. If your resolution is not apt, it is called empty magnification.
Limits of Magnification in a Microscope
In a standard microscope, the maximum magnification is up to 1500x. Beyond 1500x, the image quality becomes blurry.
Magnification and Distance in a Microscope
Distance should be adjusted proportionately with the distance. For basic tasks, you can use a ruler to measure the distance.
How do I calculate the magnification of my Microscope?
Magnification of a microscope is denoted by an X, followed by a numerical value. Opposed to what you might, it is easy to calculate a microscope’s magnification.
For this task, you must note the calibration of the objective and eyepiece. The calibration of the objective is printed on its barrel. The eyepiece calibration is engraved at the top.
magnification = magnification of objective lens × magnification of objective lens
Once you have the calibration of both the components. You multiply the magnification of the eyepiece and objective. The end value is the magnification of the Microscope.
For example, 10x is the value of the eyepiece. And 40x is the objective’s calibration. Your Microscope’s magnification is 400x
Wasn’t that a piece of cake!
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