Question

you are observing blood cells on a light microscope with a 10x objective but decide that maybe a 20x objective will give you a better image. what do you expect you will see when you change to lens from 10x to 20x.

Answer 1

Changing the objective lens from 10x to 20x on a microscope will result in a total magnification of 200x, a smaller field of view, potentially dimmer image, and an increased need for careful focusing and resolution. Stains might be necessary to improve image contrast. The orientation will remain inverted.

Step-by-step explanation:

When you change the lens from 10x to 20x on a light microscope, the blood cells you are observing will appear twice as large because you are increasing the magnification. The total magnification of the image is the product of the objective lens magnification and the ocular lens magnification, which is usually 10x. Therefore, by using a 20x objective lens with the standard 10x ocular lens, you will achieve a total magnification of 200x.

However, it's important to note that with higher magnification, the field of view will decrease, meaning you'll see a smaller area of the slide at one time. Also, with increased magnification, the image may appear dimmer, and the importance of fine focusing increases to keep the image sharp. The resolution, which allows you to see two close objects as separate entities, will also become more critical at higher magnifications. Stains and proper illumination also play a key role in improving image contrast and resolution, especially when observing transparent cellular structures.

Lastly, as you zoom in, remember that the orientation of the image will still be inverted due to the optics of the microscope's lenses, as seen with the 10x objective lens.