Final answer:
Images appear reversed and inverted under a light microscope because the optics of the microscope's lenses bend the light in a manner that flips the orientation of the observed specimen.
Step-by-step explanation:
When we say images under the light microscope are reversed and inverted, it means that the orientation of the specimen is flipped compared to how it actually exists on the slide. For instance, if you place a specimen on the microscope slide with its right side facing up, when you view it through the microscope, it will appear as though it is upside-down and its right side will now be facing left.
This inversion is due to the way the optics of the light microscope's lenses bend the light that passes through them. Microscopes achieve magnification by using two sets of lenses, and it is the way that light is redirected by these lenses that results in an inverted image. This concept is important in the study of microscopy, as it affects how we interpret and manipulate what we observe through the lens.