A microscope is a device used to view objects that are minute in size and too small for the naked eye to see. It is usually used in laboratory investigations and observations.
The microscope has its roots in ancient times where glass was found to magnify objects. Also, "Burning Glasses" or "Magnifying Glasses" were found in literature in the first century A.D. However, the first practical light microscope was developed during the late 16th and early 17th century. The foundation of the microscope was provided by two Dutch spectacle makers, Zacharias and his son. They were experimenting with several lenses in a tube and observed that nearby objects appeared intensely enlarged. Galileo, in 1609, studied these experiments and developed a significantly better instrument later on.
The most common type of microscope is the optical microscope. This is an apparatus containing lenses that make the small object\'s image larger. Optical microscopes use refractive lenses to focus light into the eye. Moreover, a microscope has a condenser. The condenser enables the light from the light source to focus onto a small and bright spot of the specimen. This spot is what the objective lens examines. Objects can be magnified up to 1500x using light microscopes.
Another type of microscope is the electron microscope. Instead of light, these microscopes use electron beams which enable high magnification and resolution. This is due to the electrons having a much smaller wavelength than visible light. Electron microscope lenses are specially crafted electromagnets that generate magnetic fields. These magnetic fields are approximately parallel to the direction of that electrons travel. One drawback of this microscope is that it requires the electron beam to pass through a vacuum. This is because air molecules can scatter the beam and may result in a flawed image.
Microscopes nowadays have entered the digital realm. They utilize charge-coupled devices (CCDs) and digital cameras to capture images. However, the basic principles of these complex microscopes are still similar to the basic microscopes - much like the ones used by students.
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