The Microscope
Microscope History
14 th Century The art of grinding lenses is developed in Italy and spectacles are made to improve eyesight.
1590 Dutch lens grinders Hans and Zacharias Janssen make the first compound microscope by placing several lenses in a tube.
1667 Robert Hooke studies various objects with his microscope and publishes his results in Micrographia. He used a compound microscope to discover that living things were composed of cells.
1675 Anton van Leeuwenhoek, Known as the Father of Microscopy, uses a single lens microscope (only one lens) to look at blood, insects, etc…He was first to describe cells and bacteria with detail Microscopy: the study of very small things
18th Century Creation of microscopes using two or more lenses. These are called compound microscopes.
1903 Richard Zsigmondy develops the ultra microscope. To study objects below wavelength of light
1932 Frits Zernike invents the phase-contrast microscope. Use to study colorless and transparent biological materials
1938 Ernst Ruska develops the electron microscope. Uses electrons to increase visibility
1981 Gerd Binnig and Heinrich Rohrer invent the scanning tunneling microscope. Creates 3-D images of objects down to atomic level
Microscope Parts
Microscope Magnification
Refers to the Power of a Microscope. 4 levels of Magnification are: Scanning: 4X Low Power: 10X High Power: 40X Eyepiece Objective: 10X
Total Magnification Calculated by taking the eyepiece objective TIMES the objective lens Example: Looking through high power 10 X 40 = 400
Power of Magnification Low Power-You are able to See a large field of view, but not as much detail. High Power-the field of view is smaller, but you are able to see more detail.
Microscope Terms to Know
Field of View Refers to the amount of a specimen we are able to see; decreases as the power of magnification increases.
Slide Rectangular glass plate used to view samples of water or other materials.
Cover Slip Small glass or plastic piece that is used to cover a water drop on a slide.
CELLS ARE ARTWORK (thanks to microscopes)