What is Microscope: Definition and 280 Discussions

A microscope (from the Ancient Greek: μικρός, mikrós, "small" and σκοπεῖν, skopeîn, "to look" or "see") is a laboratory instrument used to examine objects that are too small to be seen by the naked eye. Microscopy is the science of investigating small objects and structures using a microscope. Microscopic means being invisible to the eye unless aided by a microscope.
There are many types of microscopes, and they may be grouped in different ways. One way is to describe the method an instrument uses to interact with a sample and produce images, either by sending a beam of light or electrons through a sample in its optical path, by detecting photon emissions from a sample, or by scanning across and a short distance from the surface of a sample using a probe. The most common microscope (and the first to be invented) is the optical microscope, which uses lenses to refract visible light that passed through a thinly sectioned sample to produce an observable image. Other major types of microscopes are the fluorescence microscope, electron microscope (both the transmission electron microscope and the scanning electron microscope) and various types of scanning probe microscopes.

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    Microscope help: how to look at an object from the side way?

    Does anyone know how to look at a object from the side way on a microsocope? I've tried using a mirror, but the focus distance (to the object in the mirror) was too small. I've also tried to google "90 degree microscope objective lens" or something like that, but couldn't find anything...
  2. B

    Ultra high vacuum with scanning tunneling microscope

    I am working on a project involving a scanning tunneling microscope, and to move atoms i need an untra high vacuum chamber. Any info you have on UHV or STM would be immensly appreciated.:rolleyes: Thanks
  3. P

    How do I go about buying a microscope in Australia?

    I am really keen to buy a microscope (just a hobbyist) and have been googling to find what to look/watchout for etc, but there seems to be a severe lack of info/reviews about particular scopes which makes it hard to know what scope to get. I was thinking there would be a wealth of info on the...
  4. B

    Freshman HS student working on a scanning tunneling microscope

    I am a freshman high school student working on a scanning tunneling microscope for a science fair project. I need to build a vacuum for bottom up capabilities. If anyone can help with the STM or the vacuum it would be greatly appreciated.:rolleyes:
  5. K

    Microscope and object height

    Homework Statement A microscope has an objective lens with a focal length of 16.22 mm and an eyepiece with a focal length of 9.30 mm. With the length of the barrel set at 25.0 cm, the diameter of a red blood cell's image subtends an angle of 1.43 mrad with the eye. If the final image distance...
  6. D

    Electron Microscope Homework: Resolving Power of Atom

    Homework Statement The highest achievable resolving power of a microscope is limited only by the wavelength used; that is, the smallest item that can be distinguished has dimensions about equal to the wavelength. Suppose one wishes to "see" inside an atom. Assuming the atom to have a diameter...
  7. G

    Darkfield,brightfield application in one microscope?

    Hi every body! does anyone seen live specimen under the microscope? How does live specimen moves and interacts? What kind of scope do i need to have darkfield and brightfield application? Is there any scope that can be used in two applications?:confused: Would anyone help me choose what kind...
  8. L

    Scanning Helium Ion Microscope

    How is this microscope going to be way way better than the electron microscope? Does anyone know the significance of this piece of equipment? Website links would also be nice... thanks
  9. K

    What are the Differences Between Transmission and Scanning Electron Microscopes?

    Is transmission electron microscope the original EM, and Scanning the better resolution one. What is the main difference between the two
  10. F

    What is the Smallest Object Ever Seen with a Microscope?

    What is the most powerful microscope in the world? And when I say microscope, I mean a microscope that can produce an actual image, nothing like the atom tip microscope or whatever. What is the smallest object anyone has ever seen? In other words, I want to see a REAL image of whatever is the...
  11. C

    What's our best resolving microscope?

    What is our best microscope for resolving and magnifying objects (best combined)? eg.s PET SEM AFM etc. Here is an image I posted of a tiny nano object, I forget what was used to create it, but its impressively small. The image can almost see a single atom I think, since atomic...
  12. U

    Calculating Voltage & Velocity of Electrons in an Electron Microscope

    electrons in an electron microscope are accelerated form rest to a momentum making their wavelength 0.06 nm. 1. what is the voltage Vo needed for this? 2. What is the final electron velocity? For 1. E=\frac{hc}{\lambda}=\frac{1240eVnm}{0.06 nm} solve for E For 2. E=.5mv^2...
  13. L

    Theory of a Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM)

    Hi, for my integration class I am building a scanning tunnelling microscope (STM). I found some interesting designs and I choose the cheapest one (students are poor) witch uses a unimorph disk. Here is the STM design I plan to build: http://www.geocities.com/spm_stm/". For my class I need to...
  14. L

    Circuit of a Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM)

    Hi, for my integration class I am building a scanning tunnelling microscope (STM). I found some interesting designs and I choose the cheapest one (students are poor) witch uses a unimorph disk. The circuits are not that hard to build but I also need to understand them. I have some knowledge in...
  15. P

    Stargazing Telescope acting like microscope

    I know this guy, and he say the Hubble telescope is worthless and has never done anything because it cannot take clear pictures of the Apollo landing site. This because he think it was a hoax and he wants proof:uhh: . He is currently not convinced of the reason Hubble cannot take such photos...
  16. A

    Resolution of an electron microscope for a given voltage

    how do you calculate the following question? what is the smallest distance that could possibly resolve for an electron microscope operating at 50KV?
  17. K

    Can a Nuclear Force Microscope Manipulate Nucleons Within an Existing Nucleus?

    Does anybody know if the nuclear force microscope exists, where one could remove or put 1 nucleon at a time into an exisiting nucleus ? (using the same principle as AFM should be too gross...since the tip can not, at my knowledge..be made of one nucleon...maybe an electromagnetic coupling that...
  18. R

    I'm thinking about buying a microscope

    Hey. So like my topic says, I am thinking about buying a microscope via eBay for home use. It's generally to run my biology experiments. I am looking at a microscope with around 1600x magnification so it's possible for me to be able to go further in my experiments. I have been looking...
  19. H

    Can You Upgrade an Old Microscope Like the Ergolux ZL-19 with Modern Features?

    i have some questions regrading to "how to updrage my microscope?" i'll be very thankfull for any kind of reply... I am a student that need to make a little project, so i don't have much knowledge... I have a pretty old microscope - "ergolux zl-19". and i want to upgrade it, so it will have...
  20. S

    Finding Focal Lengths of Microscope Lenses

    Can someone tell me what sort of equation I would use for this question, I can't use the magnification as I have two unknowns. At least I don't know how to apply the magnification equation to this question. A microscope is made in a tube 25.0cm long. It magnifies 5.00 x 10 to the 2 times...
  21. N

    Light Microscope: Disadvantage of Diffential Staining

    what is a disadvantage of using diffential staining (dyes to increase the speciman's contrast) in light microscopes?
  22. M

    Understanding Electron-Optic Biprism Phenomenon in Electron Microscopes

    Hi, I'm having trouble with a problem that I'm doing in my electricity and magnetism class. I can't even understand what it's asking and what the picture looks like. Here is the problem: In an electron microscope, a beam of energetic electrons, originally accelerated through a potential of...
  23. T

    Exploring Sperm Under the Microscope: A Guide for Beginners

    I have preety good microscope at home and I'm wondering if it is possible to see sperm and individual guys under magnification? :blushing: How do i go about it?(first step, masturbate and then?) Thanks for any help.
  24. S

    Build a microscope that sees at the atomic level?

    I am curious about microscopes, I know i could buy an optical one for around $200 $500, i am wondering about how hard it would be to build a microscope that sees at the atomic level? I imagine buing one is pricey. Is it within the budget and access of Average Joe to build a microscope that powerful?
  25. M

    Maximum number of magnifications for a microscope

    Don't know where to post this, I hope is in the right place. What's the maximum number of magnifications that a microscope (of any class) has achieved to date? I want concrete ciphers.
  26. M

    A Virtual Scanning Electron Microscope

    A Virtual Scanning Electron Microscope, the link is provided to me (and anyone who reads that Journal) by the People at the Journal Science, The AAAS... Click http://www.vcbio.sci.kun.nl/eng/fesem/"
  27. Tweek

    Looking for a microscope that

    could be used in a lab. I would like to do my own research on reproduction and I was curious what magnification level microscope would I need to look at spermatzoa? Do I need a scope more then 1000x? I have tried google and I can't find anything anywhere. Would this microscope work...
  28. D

    What is the Best Basic Light Microscope for a High School Student on a Budget?

    I would like to purchase a Microscope. I just need a basic light Microscope, possibly for Biology work. I am a 10th grader and I got to use one at school for then 2nd time in 3 years. I really wish that I could look through one more often. I don't want to spend, or I should say my parents...
  29. W

    What Limits the Detail Optical Devices Can See and How Does SEM Compare?

    I know that optical devices are limited in the detail that can be seen because of the size of the wavelength of visible light. What is the limit, the smallest thing that can be seen with an optical device? Is the level of detail directly proportional to the wavelength? So what is the wavelength...
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