Microscope Angular Magnification Calculation Explained

How is the angular magnification of a microscope calculated?

Given an objective lens magnification of 27.1 and an ocular lens magnification of 9.80, what is the total angular magnification?

Calculation of Microscope Angular Magnification

The angular magnification of a microscope is determined by multiplying the magnifications of the objective and ocular lenses together to get the total magnification. In this case, the objective lens has a magnification of 27.1 and the ocular lens has a magnification of 9.80.

When calculating the angular magnification of a microscope, the formula is straightforward: just multiply the magnification of the objective lens by the magnification of the ocular lens. In this scenario, with a 27.1x objective lens and a 9.80x ocular lens, the calculation becomes:

27.1 x 9.80 = 265.58

This means that the image viewed through this microscope will appear approximately 266 times larger than its actual size. Keep in mind that while this calculation provides a basic understanding of angular magnification, real-world factors such as lens quality and atmospheric disturbances can impact the final observed image.