Pocket Microscope- Definition, Principle, Parts, Types, Uses
What is a Pocket Microscope? This is a microscope that has a special design that is small and portable, hence the name ‘pocket’. They are pocket-size but some are a … Read more
Microscopy
Microscopy is the study of devices (microscopes) that are used to view objects or certain areas that cannot be seen with a naked eye.
- Microscopes work on the physical principle of magnification where the image of an object is magnified so that it can be visible.
- The substances that can only be seen with a microscope are called microscopic substances.
- Microscopes are imperative in areas like microbiology that deals with the structure and function of microscopic living beings.
- Microscopy is further divided into three branches; optical microscopy, electron microscopy, and X-ray microscopy.
- X-ray microscopy is a fairly new technology that is responsible for detailed imaging of subcellular organelles like the nucleus and chromosomes.
- Microscopy, importantly optical microscopy, began with the discovery of the first microscope by Anton Von Leeuwenhoek.
- The complexity of microscopy since then has increased rapidly with new and advanced microscopes with higher magnification and resolution.
- In an optical microscope, the rays of light are passed through a series of glass lenses to produce a magnified image on the observer’s eyes. Compound microscopes are the most common type of microscope, mostly used for research and teaching purposes.
- In the case of an electron and X-ray microscope, an electron beam is created which produced a digital magnified image of an object.
- Electron microscopes have very high magnification and resolution which produces clear enlarged images of objects as small as an atom.
- Depending on the nature of the sample, different types of microscopes, including bright field microscope, fluorescence microscope, phase contrast, and darkfield microscopes, are also available.
- The magnification of these microscopes depends on the type of lens used in the system which produces images of different magnitude and resolution so that they can be viewed.
- Microscopy is important in different areas of science like histology, cytology, and bacteriology. Microscopic examination of the morphology and structure of cells has been used as an essential technique for the identification of microorganisms.
Fluorescence Microscopy- Definition, Principle, Parts, Uses
What is a Fluorescence Microscope? A fluorescence microscope is an optical microscope that uses fluorescence and phosphorescence instead of, or in addition to, reflection and absorption to study the properties … Read more
Inverted Microscope- Definition, Principle, Parts, Labeled Diagram, Uses, Worksheet
What is an Inverted Microscope? Invented in 1850 by a faculty member of Medical College of Louisiana, named J. Lawrence Smith, this microscope just like it sounds is a light … Read more
Electron Microscope- Definition, Principle, Types, Uses, Labeled Diagram
What is an Electron Microscope? An electron microscope is a microscope that uses a beam of accelerated electrons as a source of illumination. It is a special type of microscope … Read more
Compound Microscope- Definition, Labeled Diagram, Principle, Parts, Uses
What is a Compound Microscope? The term microscope can be split into two separate words, ‘micro’ and ‘scope’, where the term ‘micro’ means small or tiny, and ‘scope’ means to view or to observe. Therefore, a microscope … Read more
Light Microscope vs Electron Microscope- 36 Major Differences
Both light microscopes and electron microscopes use radiation (light or electron beams) to form larger and more detailed images of objects which cannot be seen clearly through an unaided eye. Light Microscope … Read more
Atomic Force Microscope (AFM)- Definition, Principle, Parts, Uses
What is an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM)? The atomic force microscope (AFM) is a type of scanning probe microscope whose primary roles include measuring properties such as magnetism, height, friction. … Read more
Darkfield Microscope- Definition, Principle, Uses, Diagram
What is a Darkfield Microscope? Microbiology, the branch of science that has so vastly extended and expanded our knowledge of the living world, owes its existence to Antoni van Leeuwenhoek. … Read more
Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)- Definition, Principle, Parts, Images
The first Scanning Electron Microscope was initially made by Mafred von Ardenne in 1937 with an aim to surpass the transmission electron Microscope. He used high-resolution power to scan a … Read more
Phase Contrast Microscopy- Definition, Principle, Parts, Uses
What is Phase-contrast microscopy? Unstained living cells absorb practically no light. Poor light absorption results in extremely small differences in the intensity distribution in the image. This makes the cells … Read more