A microscope is a piece of equipment whose main purpose is to obtain enlarged images that cannot be seen with the naked eye. The name of the device comes from the Greek words that translate as "small" and "look".
Instructions
Step 1
The first mention of microscopes dates back to 1950. It was developed in the Netherlands in the city of Middelburg. Naturally, the first microscopes were optical and did not allow a high degree of image magnification to be achieved. Microscopy is the general name for technologies that make it possible to make and use microscopes.
Step 2
The main characteristic of a microscope is its resolution. It describes the ability of this device to show a high-quality image of two points of an object that are located close enough. Basically, the resolution depends on the wavelength of the radiation used in microscopy.
Step 3
There are five main types of microscopes: optical, electronic, scanning probe, X-ray and differential interference contrast. This principle is based on the difference in resolution of the types described. The smallest magnification can be obtained with an optical microscope. The approximate minimum distance between adjacent points is 0.2 μm.
Step 4
The creation of an electron microscope has become a real breakthrough in the study of small objects. These devices allow the study of particles, the distance between which reaches 0.1 nm. Another advantage of such microscopes is the easy conversion of the instrument readings into an image accessible to the human eye. It should be noted that an electron microscope is a rather bulky and complex structure, which does not allow using this device in many situations.
Step 5
The resolution indicators of X-ray microscopes are between those of electronic and optical devices. Their principle of operation is to use X-rays to assess the condition of objects.
