What's the difference between a magnifying glass and a microscope?

What are the main differences in terms of design and functionality between a magnifying glass and a microscope?

A magnifying glass uses a single lens and can enlarge objects 2-20 times, while a microscope uses multiple lenses to magnify objects up to a thousand times or more, allowing for the study of tiny specimens.

Magnifying Glass vs. Microscope: Exploring the Variations

Magnifying Glass: A magnifying glass and a microscope both serve the purpose of enlarging objects to make them easier to observe, but in different ways and to different extents. A magnifying glass, which is typically a single convex lens, enlarges objects in your field of view to about 2-20 times their original size depending on its strength. Their function is simple, relying on the principle of refraction to magnify an image to the human eye.

Microscope: On the other hand, a microscope, which is more complex, uses a series of lenses to magnify objects many times greater, often up to a thousand times or more. The scope of a microscope's magnification allows for the close examination of tiny objects such as cells and microorganisms. The lens closest to the eye (ocular lens) magnifies the image, which is then magnified again by the second lens (objective lens).