Microscope - Feb2023

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PHS 121 Optics – Optical Instruments: Microscope, Telescope

The Magnifier

The size of an object is determined by the size of its image on the retina, and this

size depends upon the angle 𝜃 (angular size), subtended by the object at the eye. A

magnifier is a converging lens that is used to form an image larger than the object.

The angular magnification is

𝜃′
𝑀 (angular magnification)= 𝜃 .

where

𝜃 ′ = angle subtended with magnifier.

𝜃 = angle subtended without magnifier.


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For a simple single lens magnifier 𝑀 = , where f is the focal length in cm.
𝑓

The Microscope

When we need greater magnification than we can get with a simple magnifier, we

usually use a microscope (also known as a compound microscope). The image

formed by the objective lens serves as the object for the eyepiece. Both the objective

and the eyepiece of an actual microscope are compound lenses with several

elements (not as simple as described herein). The overall angular magnification of

the compound microscope is the product of two factors:

1. Lateral magnification of the objective lens, 𝑚1 .

2. Eyepiece magnification 𝑚2 .

Therefore, overall magnification

𝑀 = 𝑚1 𝑚2 (1)

The final image is inverted with respect to the object.

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PHS 121 Optics – Optical Instruments: Microscope, Telescope

Examples

1. In a compound microscope, the objective lens has a focal length of 8 mm, and the

eyepiece has a focal length of 40 mm. The distance between the two lenses is 200

mm, and the final image appears to be at a distance 250mm from the eyepiece.

a. How far is the object from the objective lens?

b. What is the total magnification?

1 2

A C 200 B
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mm
mm
mm
mm
Telescopes

The optical system of a telescope is similar to that of a compound microscope. In

both instruments, the image formed by an objective is viewed by an eyepiece. The

key difference is that the telescope is used to view large objects at large distances

and the microscope is used to view small objects close by. Another difference is that

many telescopes use a curved mirror, not a lens, as the objective. The angular

magnification 𝑀 of a telescope is the ratio of the focal length of the objective to that

of the eyepiece.

𝜃 𝑓1 (𝑜𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒)
𝑀 = = −
𝜃′ 𝑓2 (𝑒𝑦𝑒𝑝𝑖𝑒𝑐𝑒)

The negative sign shows that the final image is inverted. The magnification of a

telescope can be varied by using different eyepieces with different focal lengths 𝑓2 .

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