Question

Write any two advantages of a compound microscope over a simple microscope. Draw a ray diagram for the image formation at the near point by a compound microscope and explain it.

Hint:

A compound microscope offers higher magnification and better resolution by using two lenses to form and further magnify the image.

Answer 1

Compound Microscope

A compound microscope consists of two lenses: the objective lens and the eyepiece lens.

The objective lens forms a real, inverted image of the object at a short distance, which is further magnified by the eyepiece to form the final image.

Advantages of a Compound Microscope over a Simple Microscope:

1. Higher Magnification: A compound microscope has two lenses working together (objective and eyepiece), providing much higher magnification than a simple microscope (which typically uses only one lens).
2. Improved Clarity and Resolution: Due to the multiple lenses, a compound microscope offers better resolution and can focus on much smaller details compared to a simple microscope.
   

Diagram Explanation:

• The object is placed at a distance less than the focal length of the objective lens, causing it to form an intermediate real image.
• This intermediate image acts as an object for the eyepiece lens, which further magnifies the image.
• The final image is viewed at the near point of the eye.