Magnification

A microscope is an important biological instrument used to magnify tiny specimens (like cells) so that we can see them clearly. A photograph taken using a light microscope is called a photomicrograph.

Here are the main characteristics and classifications:

1. Types of microscopes

- Light microscope: This is the kind typically used in school laboratories. It shines light through the specimen and uses glass lenses to focus and magnify the image. A very good light microscope can magnify about 1500 times. It helps to observe basic cell structures such as the cell wall, cell membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus, vacuole, and chloroplasts.

- Electron microscope: This type has a much higher resolution than a light microscope. It is used to observe extremely small structures or organelles inside the cells that cannot be seen clearly with a light microscope, such as mitochondria and ribosomes.

2. Magnification

- Magnification shows how many times larger an image is than the actual object. It is always written with a multiplication sign in front of it (for example: ×10, ×5000) and does not have units.

- The formula to calculate magnification is: Magnification = Image size ÷ Actual size