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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.

Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)- Definition, Principle, Parts, Images

December 2, 2021November 11, 2021 by Faith Mokobi
Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)

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

December 2, 2021November 11, 2021 by Sagar Aryal
Phase Contrast Microscopy

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

Digital Microscope- Definition, Principle, Parts, Types, Examples, Uses

December 2, 2021November 10, 2021 by Faith Mokobi
Digital Microscope

What is a Digital Microscope? A digital microscope is a modern microscope that lacks an eyepiece, an immense difference from the traditional optical microscope. They have a digital camera which … Read more

Inverted Microscope- Definition, Principle, Parts, Labeled Diagram, Uses, Worksheet

December 2, 2021November 10, 2021 by Faith Mokobi
Inverted Microscope

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

Confocal Microscope- Definition, Principle, Parts, Types, Labeled Diagram, Applications

December 2, 2021November 8, 2021 by Faith Mokobi
Confocal Microscope

What is a Confocal Microscope? The concept of confocal microscopy was initially developed by Marvin Minsky in the 1950s, at Harvard University with an aim of viewing the neural network … Read more

Light Microscope- Definition, Principle, Types, Parts, Labeled Diagram, Magnification

December 2, 2021November 7, 2021 by Faith Mokobi
Light Microscope diagram

History of Microscopy: Overview The evolution of the Microbiology field put to perspective the need to identify, view, observe and understand microorganisms, including their structural morphologies and mechanisms. Microbiology’s scope … Read more

Simple Microscope- Definition, Principle, Magnification, Parts, Applications

December 2, 2021November 6, 2021 by Sagar Aryal
Simple Microscope

The optical microscope often referred to as the light microscope, is a type of microscope that uses visible light and a system of lenses to magnify images of small subjects. … Read more

Electron Microscope- Definition, Principle, Types, Uses, Labeled Diagram

December 2, 2021November 4, 2021 by Sagar Aryal
Electron Microscope

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

December 2, 2021November 3, 2021 by Sagar Aryal
Compound Microscope

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

December 14, 2021November 2, 2021 by Sagar Aryal
Differences between Light and Electron Microscope

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.   However, … Read more

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