Microscopes come in many forms and types. Gone are the days when the only terms related to the microscope are the electron and the compound microscopes. Today, there are numerous kinds and you don t even know what each is really used for. You can t even differentiate one type from another.
To clear that clutter on your mind, let s get a few things straight.
First, the modern microscope can be classified according to compound or stereo. The compound microscope uses only one eye piece (that cylindrical part of the microscope that you put your eyes on to see the specimen being examined). On the other hand, the stereo microscope uses two optical paths and has the ability to give you a 3D image. It is for this reason that this kind of modern microscope is very popular in surgery and in dissecting objects and even machine tools.
Second, there are two frame types of the modern microscope: the upright microscope and the inverted microscope. For you to have a clearer understanding on the difference of the two, you must be familiar with the major parts of the microscope first.
* The Illumination system this refers to the group of parts that gives lighting to the specimen. This group includes the lamp, the condenser, the diaphragms (or pinhole apertures) and the rheostat, among others.
* The Stage this is where the specimen rests. Usually, the specimen is held in place and moved with the use of clips and a micromanipulator, respectively.
* The Lens system these are the group of parts responsible in forming the image. This includes the eyepiece, objective lenses, tube and the nosepiece (the mount that holds several objective lenses).
To distinguish an upright from an inverted microscope, you only need to remember the placement of the three major microscope parts mentioned above. The upright microscope is your standard view of a microscope: on top is the lens system, followed by the stage, and then the illumination system. The inverted microscope, on the other hand, has the reverse sequence. You have the illumination system on top, then the stage, followed by the lens system.
Does an inverted microscope make sense? At the outset, the idea might seem ridiculous. But upon careful consideration, you d realize how useful an inverted microscope is.
This kind of frame is very useful in examining a specimen that s either too large or too heavy. Yes, an inverted microscope would come in handy if you want to study cells in suspension. This is because the lenses are closer to the bottom of the specimen where the cells are. Thus, it makes more sense to make use of an inverted microscope rather than an upright microscope in this scenario.
Microscopes just like cameras use accessories too. Among the widely used accessories are: the Epi fluorescent attachment kit, a mechanical case, or even a microscope case. These make your microscope become more powerful (just when you think they could not get any more powerful, huh?).
So there you are, a little clarification about the many terms related to the microscope. To review, the modern microscope can be classified as either stereo or compound. But in relation to frame types, only two words must come to mind: upright and inverted. Easy enough, right?
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