Home  >  News & Articles  >  Uses of Microscope: Definition, Microscope Magnifying Power, Types, and How to Use

Nikita Parmar

Updated on 25th September, 2023 , 7 min read

Uses of Microscope: Definition, Microscope Magnifying Power, Types, and How to Use

Uses of Microscope Overview

We all know that one of the primary applications of a microscope is to observe things that are so small that they are undetectable to the human eye. This gadget has a variety of uses depending on the sectors in which it is employed. It may be used to solve crimes, treat diseases, produce new materials, and even analyze fossils from history.

What is a Microscope?

A microscope is a tool used to examine small things. They are frequently employed in labs. With a basic microscope, a convex lens is used to alter how light reaches the eye. There are several types of microscopes that are used for various reasons. The microscope was invented in the 16th century by Zacharias Janssen, a Dutch eyeglass manufacturer.

Microscope Magnifying Power 

The magnifying power is the range of power with which the microscope enlarges the picture of the item. We use the following formula to represent it-

M = tan𝛳tan𝛳= angle occupied by the final picture with relation to the eye angle occupied by the item seen directly (dimensionless ratio).

Here, 

tan 𝛃≈ 𝛃

tan = α ≈ α

Below is the image depicting the ray diagram defining its magnifying power-

Therefore, the microscope formula's magnifying power is the ratio of the angle subtended by the final picture to the eye and the angle subtended by the object viewed directly, given that both are held at the minimum distance for distinct vision (-25 cm). When the angles are very small, the aforementioned two scenarios are feasible. 

As a result, we rewrite the above equation as-

M = 𝛃α 

Uses of Microscope

The following are some of the uses of microscopes in different fields-

Medicine, Life Sciences, and Research

The most significant contribution of humans to healthcare would not have been achieved without the use of microscopes. This equipment is used by scientists and lab experts to investigate numerous viruses and bacteria and to develop remedies for various ailments. This equipment is used by researchers to examine harmful germs and how they influence the human body.

Pathology

A compound microscope is a key diagnostic instrument used by pathologists. During the day, pathologists examine several specimens under a microscope. As a result, they require a microscope with an ergonomic design and a comfortable viewing angle. Seeing a crystal clear image on a high-definition screen using a camera has made their lives easier these days.

Education

Teaching microscopes may be found in every laboratory of important departments in numerous institutions, including colleges, schools, and universities, among other optical devices. Students use microscopes to discover new things and comprehend the world around them, as well as to try to grasp the fundamental building blocks of everything around us, such as what a cell looks like.

Biology

Inverted microscopes are the foundation of biological research. The objective lenses of an inverted microscope are stored beneath the stage, allowing the user to set the petri dish on a flat stage. In-vitro fertilization, live-cell imaging, developmental biology, and cell biology are all performed with inverted microscopes. This gadget is also used to study microorganisms and their characteristics. Even compound microscopes are employed in this discipline to investigate bacteria, cells, and other organisms. This technology aids scientists in their investigation of biological creatures and cell architecture.

Botany

Compound microscopes are mostly used in botany to examine materials at the cellular level. This gadget is used by lab experts and students who wish to examine the characteristics of leaves, their cells, and many other aspects of a plant. Botanists conduct many types of studies on various plants and fungi for research goals, which allows them to discover numerous new traits.

Zoology

The study of insects can focus on a wide range of themes, including ecosystemsand their constituent populations, creatures, cells, and chemical processes. Each type of study needs its own set of procedures. As a result, a microscope is an essential instrument in zoology, as are some physicochemical approaches for isolating and characterizing molecules. Light microscopes are required for a wide range of zoological applications, including screening, sorting, and manipulating your samples with stereo and zoom microscopes, as well as documentation and photography.

Industrial Application

A stereo microscope is a type of microscope that is used for measurement, quality control, inspection, and applications in soldering, the watch industry, and manufacturing operations. Each of these industrial inspection microscopes offers a distinct answer to the inspection process. Stereomicroscopes are available with both built-in and external fiber optic lighting. 

Forensics

Stereomicroscopy may be used to identify trace evidence such as pieces, fibers, hairs, and fingerprints left at the crime scene or on a victim or suspect. Microscopes are used in crime scenes to reduce complex evidence and analyze it in order to solve crimes. This equipment is used for forensic purposes and to determine whether or not a criminal is innocent. There is a significant use for these gadgets in this industry, and without them, it will be impossible to investigate some items that are not apparent to human sight.

Read the related Article on- Forensic Science Salary 2023 in India and Gemmules.

Types of Microscopes

In laboratories, several types of microscopes are available for use. All microscopes have various purposes, applications, and significance. There are five primary types of microscopes listed below, along with microscope photos-

Simple Microscope and its Uses

Description 

Uses

A basic microscope is made up of only one lens. It features a double convex lens with a short focal length. It generates a visual representation by generating a large picture of microscopic items. It is used for extremely simple objectives rather than large-scale inquiries.

Basic Components- An eyepiece, body, specimen stage, objective lens, aperture diaphragm, nosepiece, and base. 

  1. It is used to examine archaeological items like stamps and carvings and also to study small animals such as algae, fungi, and biological samples.
  2. Jewelers use it to inspect gemstones and jewelry.
  3. Skin physicians use it to check for skin allergies.
  4. It is also often used in nutrition studies.

Compound Microscope and its Uses

Description

Uses

A compound microscope features a concave mirror surface on one side and a flat mirror surface on the other. A compound microscope has several lenses and is used to study real-world items that are too tiny to be seen by the human eye. It is usually used for in-depth investigations.

Basic Component- A compound microscope's components include a base, arm, stage, clips, diaphragm, nosepiece, coarse adjustment knob, and fine adjustment knob.

  1. It is mostly used to study bacteria and viruses.
  2. It is used to look for minerals and metals in blood samples.
  3. It is also used in forensic labs to investigate crimes.
  4. It is used to view plant cells and the many microorganisms that reside in them.
  5. It is also used in schools for educational purposes.

Electron Microscope and its Uses

Description

Uses

An electron microscope is a microscope that observes an object using electrons rather than light. Electromagnets serve as a lens in an electron microscope, and the entire system operates in a vacuum. Because an electron microscope has a high resolution, it may provide a high-resolution picture of an item on a fluorescent screen. It is used in in-depth investigations. Moreover, electron microscopes are classified into two types-

Transmission Electron Microscopes (TEM) and Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEM) 

Basic Components- An electron microscope's numerous components include light sources, electromagnetic fields, image viewing systems, and recording systems.

  1. It is used for high-resolution imaging, inspection, and the production of computer chips.
  2. It is used to examine the minute details of illnesses such as tumors.
  3. It's used to investigate rocks and minerals.
  4. It is also used to investigate jewelry and gemstones.

Stereo Microscope and its Uses

Description

Uses

A stereo microscope depicts an object or specimen in three dimensions. Each eye has its own objective lenses and eyepieces. The magnification of stereo microscopes is lower, but the working distance is greater.

Basic Components- Include eyepiece lenses, an alternative eyepiece, an eyepiece tube, a diopter adjustment knob, and objective lenses. The focus, working stage, stage clips, and transmitted lighting are other important components.

  1. It is used to study crystals.
  2. While working with circuits and timepieces, it is employed.
  3. Microsurgery also makes use of it.
  4. It is mostly used to examine items such as animals and plants.

Scanning Probe Microscope and its Uses

Description

Uses

A scanning probe microscope is a type of microscope that examines objects at the nanoscale level. This sort of microscope is useful for studying the qualities of the material, as well as its reaction time and behavior when triggered.

  1. It is used to investigate any object's magnetic characteristics.
  2. With this microscope, information may be conveyed to specimens.
  3. It is used to investigate an object's electrical characteristics.
  4. It is also used to examine nanoscale friction, wear, adhesion, and lubrication measures.

How to Use a Microscope?

The microscope can be used for the following purposes-

  1. Carefully place your prepared slide on stage (flat side down under the lens).
  2. Aim the glass or light so that it illuminates the hole in the stage.
  3. Begin by using the lens with the lowest power to view more of the slide.
  4. Examine the picture via the eyepiece and change the focusing knob as soon as it seems clear.
  5. Once one has a clear image, experiment with different (higher-powered) objective lenses.

Also read more about the Scope of Microbiology.

Things to Remember

  1. Microscopy is the science of investigating with microscopes.
  2. A microscope's primary function is to interact with a sample and make pictures by passing a beam of light or electrons across the sample's optical path.
  3. Microscope magnifying power is referred to as angular magnification.

Conclusion

A microscope is a device that magnifies tiny objects or specimens. Through a lens, an image of an item or sample may be viewed or observed in detail. Different microscopes serve distinct functions. Some are used to examine the form of a cell and its nucleus, others for criminal investigation, others for evaluating illnesses or allergies, and still more for high-resolution imaging or nanoscale measurements. In this essay, we investigated the purposes of the microscope as well as its images. 

Was this Article Helpful/Relevant or did you get what you were looking for ?

👎234

Similar Articles

JoSAA Counselling 2024

By - Avantika Bhardwaj 2024-02-05 11:56:38 , 18 min read
Read More

Frequently Asked Questions

Ans. A microscope is a device that magnifies an item or specimen.

Ans. In a microscope, a concave mirror is used to focus light on the item being examined.

Ans. A basic microscope employs a concave reflecting type mirror.

Ans. Microscopes are used for a variety of applications by biological scientists, forensic science technicians, jewelers and gemologists, and environmental and geoscientists.

Ans. The father of microscopy is Antoni van Leeuwenhoek.

Ans. The advent of the microscope allowed mankind to explore the realm of extremely microscopic creatures, where disease-causing compounds could be identified, named, and finally avoided. Light impacted the sight of images, according to Charles Spencer.

Ans. The inventor of the first microscope is unclear; however, Zacharias Janssen, a Dutch eyeglass manufacturer born in 1585, is credited with developing one of the earliest compound microscopes (those with two lenses) in about 1600.

Ans. Image creation in an optical microscope occurs in the middle picture plane due to a conflict between direct sunlight that has unalterably passed through the specimen and light that has diffracted through the specimen’s small characteristics.

Similar College

Course Offered

MBA

Fees for 2 years

₹ 909000

Avg. Package

₹ 8.7 LPA

Highest Package

₹ 12 LPA

Course Offered

MBA

Fees for 2 years

₹ 909000

Avg. Package

₹ 6.0 LPA

Highest Package

₹ 7.70 LPA

Check Eligibility   Free 1:1 Counselling