Microscopes are instruments designed to magnify small objects and reveal details that are invisible to the naked eye. They come in various types based on their technology and application, including optical, electron, and scanning probe microscopes.

Optical Microscopes

Optical or light microscopes use lenses to refract visible light to magnify samples. They include several types:

Simple microscopes use a single convex lens with low magnification.

Compound microscopes have multiple lenses (ocular and objective) for higher magnification, suitable for thin, stained biological samples.

Stereo microscopes or dissection microscopes provide a three-dimensional view for observing large or solid samples.

Inverted microscopes have the objective lens below the stage to observe living cells in culture dishes.

Specialized types include polarizing, phase-contrast, confocal, and fluorescence microscopes, each suited to different sample types or imaging techniques.