Microscope Set

A microscope is an optical instrument that is used to amplify the usual size of a certain object. Its invention is mainly credited to Zacharias Jansen who was a Dutch spectacle maker and Galileo. The rest such as Nehemiah grew are known for making further improvements. There are various types of microscope sets which include:

The simple microscope set which comprises of a magnifying glass, a usual double convex lens and the apparatus which helps in the d\formation of the object’s image using refraction of light. In its simple form, it’s made up of disk transparent material which is normally glass. It may have two curved surfaces or one plain surface and the other one curved.

The simple microscope sets usually have a short focal length. This category also includes the reading and hand lens. Placing an object nearer to the lens that its prime focus, which is the focal length, makes the image produced to be refracted from the mirror due to the rays of the light that come from the object. The image produced by simple microscope sets is virtual hence its projection cannot be done on a screen like in the case of a real image.

The other type of microscope set is the compound one. It comprises of two or more double convex lenses fixed on both the extremes of a hollow cylinder. The lower lens usually situated near the object is known as the objective lens while the other lens placed closest to the viewer’s eye is referred to as the eyepiece. The hollow cylinder is mounted in an upright position on a screw gadget which can be raised and lowered allowing the object to come into focus. A real image which is usually inverted is created by the objective lens at the position in principle focus of the eyepiece. This image serves as the object of the eyepiece. The eyepiece then produces another image which is now visible to the viewer. This image is also virtual.

There are also other highly modified microscopes such as the ultra microscope that consist of a compound microscope arranged in such a way that the object under focus is illuminated using a point of light that is placed at right angles to the objective’s plane. It is then brought to a focus in a straight line beneath it.

The electron microscope set is more reliable as it does not depend on the amount of light or the powers of the optical lens. It therefore allows greater magnification as well as greater focus depth as compared to the optical microscope set. This microscope set is also able to show greater detail of the structure. This type of microscope uses electrons in place of light rays. The electrons might be either controlled by electric or magnetic fields. The image produced can be thrown on a luminous screen or could be photographed. Microscope sets have been of great use in the developments achieved in biological sciences as well as medicine since 1590.