Microscopes
by Shyla
The first microscope was made in 1590 by Hans & Zacharias Jansen. These weren't very powerful.
There are different kinds of microscopes, like simple and compound.
Compound microscopes could be designed to have a magnifying power of 1,000,000 times. It's resolving power would be no better than that of an ordinary microscope which has a magnification power of 1,500 times.
Simple microscopes are magnifying glasses. They have one glass lens that focuses light.
Some other microscopes are optical and electron. Optical microscopes use light to study things.
Electron microscopes use electrons instead of light. If you scan, electron microscopes produce images that appear 3-D.
Fluorescence microscopes can be used to study stained bacteria & living tissues.
Scientists use ultraviolet and infrared microscopes to learn the chemical make up of small objects such as living cells.
Polarizing microscopes study crystals. They were developed in the 1800's. Today they are used to study drugs, chemicals, metals, foods, living tissues, fibers, plastics, poisonous wastes in water and air, radioactivity, and micro meteorites.
Sources:
Encarta Encyclopedia 96 (Microscopes)
The New Book of Knowledge M 1993 edition
