Microscope consists of mechanical and optical parts.
Mechanical parts include illuminator, focus adjusment knob, prism, histology stage, stage, light filter, glass and table position regulator.
Optical parts include a condenser, objective lens and ocular lens. The function of condenser is to collect and direct the light in order to form a cone light that illuminates the object observed.
The function of objective lens is magnifying and forwarding the object shadow illuminated to the ocular lens. The function of ocular lens is magnifying the shadow and projected onto the observing retina or the photographic stage. Total magnification is obtained by multiplying the power magnification of objective and ocular lenses.
A major factor in obtaining good shadow with a microscope is the resolution power. Resolution power is the smallest distance between two particles so that the particles appear as a separate object. Maximum resolution power of the light microscope is about 0.1 m, it gives a good shadow with the magnification of 1000 to 1500 times. Object with the size is smaller than 0.1 m cannot be distinguished by this tool.
Quality, clarity and detail of shadow depends on the power resolution of the microscope. Magnification does not depend on the resolution power and it is only useful when accompanied by high resolution. Resolution power of a microscope mainly depends on the objective lens. Ocular lens only magnifies shadows obtained from objective lens; ocular lens does not enhance resolution.
