Question

Explain the construction and working of a compound microscope with a neat ray-diagram.

Answer 1

Step 1: Construction

A compound microscope consists of two lenses. The two lenses are each fixed to the outer ends of two hollow tubes that can slide one over the other such that their principal axis coincide. The lens towards the object is called the objective lens and the lens near the eye is called the eye-piece.

Step 2: Working

1. An object is placed beyond the principal focus of the objective.
2. Image is formed between objective and eyepiece.
3. The first image formed$\left(I_1\right)$ is inverted, real, and magnified with respect to the object.
4. The first image acts as an object to the second lens i.e., eyepiece.
5. So, it is further magnified and the final image is $I$.
6. The final image is inverted with respect to the object, magnified, and virtual.