Chapter 18.3, Problem 36SSC

To determine

The reason for the darker image obtained in a microscope at highest magnification and the procedure toobtain a brighter image.

Explanation of Solution

Introduction:

Microscope is an instrument used to observe very small objects that cannot be seen by naked eye. The amount of visual enlargement of an object under observation is known as magnification of the microscope.

The images obtained in a microscope at highest magnification are darker than that obtained at its lower magnification because the light rays used in an optical microscope incident only on a small region of the object and also the object reflects only a small amount of light incident on it. One can get a brighter image of an object by increasing the intensity of light used to illuminate it. Commonly a bright white light sources are used to illuminate the object in order to get the brighter image. Laser light can also be used to illuminate an object, but in some cases it leads to degradation of an object.