Final answer:
Microscopes do not magnify an object by the same amount; the magnification depends on the lenses. A magnification of 250,000 with the given focal lengths is not feasible for standard light microscopes but is within the range of electron microscopes.
Step-by-step explanation:
No, microscopes do not all magnify an object by the same amount. The magnification of a microscope is dependent on the focal lengths of the objective lens and the eyepiece. For the example given, where a microscope has an objective lens with a 0.500 cm focal length and an eyepiece with a 5.00 cm focal length claiming to produce an overall magnification of 250,000, these are not viable values. Light microscopes commonly used in undergraduate laboratories usually only magnify up to about 400 times. Even with oil immersion techniques, the magnification typically increases to around 1,000 times. At the high end, electron microscopes can magnify up to about 1,000,000 times.
An overall magnification of 250,000 with the given focal lengths is highly unlikely for a standard light microscope due to physical limitations in magnification and resolving power. These characteristics determine how much an image is enlarged (magnification) and the fineness of detail it can resolve (resolving power).