Microscope Glossary
1. Basic Microscope Anatomy
Microscope – Instrument that magnifies very small objects using lenses.
Head – Top part holding eyepieces and optical path.
Eyepiece (Ocular) – Lens you look through (usually 10×).
Eyepiece Tube – Holds the eyepiece in place.
Body Tube – Aligns eyepiece and objectives.
Revolving Nosepiece (Turret) – Rotating mount for objective lenses.
Objective Lenses – Main magnifying lenses near the specimen.
Arm – Supports the body; used for carrying.
Base – Bottom support; houses light source.
2. Magnification & Optics
Magnification – How much larger the image appears.
Total Magnification –
Eyepiece magnification × Objective magnification
(e.g., 10× eyepiece × 40× objective = 400×)
Objective Power – Common values: 4×, 10×, 40×, 100×
Low Power Objective – 4× or 10×, used for locating specimens.
High Power Objective – 40× or higher, for fine detail.
Oil Immersion Objective – 100× lens used with oil to improve resolution.
Field of View (FOV) – Area visible through the microscope.
Resolution – Ability to distinguish two close points as separate.
Numerical Aperture (NA) – Light-gathering ability of an objective.
3. Illumination & Light Control
Light Source – Lamp or LED providing illumination.
Illuminator – The built-in light system.
Brightness Control – Adjusts light intensity.
Condenser – Focuses light onto the specimen.
Condenser Height Adjustment – Optimizes illumination.
Iris Diaphragm – Controls amount of light and contrast.
Field Diaphragm – Limits illuminated area (advanced microscopes).
Köhler Illumination – Optimized lighting technique for even illumination.
4. Focusing Mechanisms
Coarse Focus Knob – Large movements for initial focus.
Fine Focus Knob – Small adjustments for sharp focus.
Rack and Pinion – Mechanical focusing system.
Focus Tension Control – Prevents stage drift.
5. Stage & Specimen Handling
Stage – Platform that holds the slide.
Mechanical Stage – Allows precise slide movement.
Stage Clips – Hold slide in place.
X–Y Stage Controls – Move slide left/right and forward/back.
Slide – Glass plate holding specimen.
Coverslip – Thin glass placed over specimen.
Specimen – Object being viewed.
6. Common Microscope Types
Compound Microscope – Uses multiple lenses; most common type.
Stereo Microscope (Dissecting) – Low magnification, 3D view.
Digital Microscope – Uses camera and screen instead of eyepiece.
Inverted Microscope – Objectives below stage (cell cultures).
USB Microscope – Connects to computer; limited optical quality.
Student Microscope – Durable, basic features.
Research Microscope – High precision optics and illumination.
7. Contrast & Imaging Techniques
Brightfield Microscopy – Standard illumination method.
Darkfield Microscopy – Bright specimen on dark background.
Phase Contrast – Enhances transparent specimens.
DIC (Nomarski) – High-contrast, pseudo-3D appearance.
Fluorescence Microscopy – Uses fluorescent dyes and UV light.
Polarized Light Microscopy – Used for minerals and crystals.
8. Image Quality & Artifacts
Chromatic Aberration – Color fringing due to lens imperfections.
Spherical Aberration – Blurring from lens shape errors.
Astigmatism – Unequal focus in different directions.
Vignetting – Darkened edges of image.
Artifacts – Features not part of specimen (dust, bubbles).
9. Measurement & Calibration
Micrometer – Tool for measuring microscopic distances.
Stage Micrometer – Slide with precise scale.
Eyepiece Reticle – Measuring scale in eyepiece.
Calibration – Matching reticle to real measurements.
10. Camera & Digital Terms
Phototube – Mount for camera attachment.
CCD / CMOS Sensor – Camera image sensors.
Live View – Real-time image display.
Frame Rate – Images per second.
Pixel Resolution – Image detail level.
11. Maintenance & Handling
Cleaning Lens Paper – Special paper for optics.
Immersion Oil – Oil used with 100× objective.
Dust Cover – Protects microscope when not in use.
Alignment – Correct optical positioning.
Service Interval – Recommended maintenance schedule.
12. Safety & Lab Terms
Biohazard – Biological risk material.
Sterilization – Eliminating microorganisms.
Autoclave – Sterilization device (not part of microscope).
Gloves / PPE – Personal protective equipment.
13. Common Abbreviations
FOV – Field of View
NA – Numerical Aperture
DIC – Differential Interference Contrast
LED – Light Emitting Diode
CCD – Charge-Coupled Device
CMOS – Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor