Light Microscope – Different Types
A light microscope is one of the most popular types of microscopes for looking at images. In the beginning, light scopes were created to see things such as fabric weave and other simple objects. However, as time progressed, a person named Anton van Leeuwenhoek found ways to create scopes that allowed people to see things that were previously invisible. Today, these microscopes have come a long way but they still use light in various ways to view “invisible” worlds.
A bright field microscope is one of the most popular types of a light microscope that will be found in a school setting. These types of microscopes are relatively simple to operate and include a light source that can go through the object being viewed. They have two knobs that can be adjusted to better see the object. However, the quality can sometimes be distorted compared to many other types of microscopes, such as the stereo microscope. However for a beginner, this is the perfect scope to help one see the world around them better.
Another type of light microscopes that can be found in many labs is that of the dark field. These microscopes are great for viewing objects that would otherwise seem distorted with a bright field scope, such as cells and pond water. The small metazoans can easily be seen and distinguished when using this type of scope. The light is reflected by particles on the microscope slide. This allows for a more in depth study at a small cost compared to a scanning electron microscope.
A light microscope can make viewing objects fun and exciting for most. However, understanding which type of light microscopes to choose can be the hard task. If one does their research, then they can learn all they want about these great microscopes and their many uses. In school we all started out on light microscopes and even high tech labs still use these links to the past. Microscopy has come a long way, but the old standards are sometimes still the best.
By Medical Technologies Editor
