2.

If you draw the image of an object observed under a compound microscope, is it likely that you are
reducing or magnifying it?

Magnification defines how much the sample appears to have increased in size. A magnified object
should have an increase in size, but not the object itself.

Let’s suppose a 14 micrometer sample was examined under a microscope and drawn after. Under the
microscope, its total magnification was 100x, with an objective and eyepiece magnification of 10. Then it
is drawn at a total magnification of 10000, including the total magnification under the microscope. Here
is a table showing the relationship of the size of the specimen and the magnification.

Initial Compound Microscope Botanical Illustration

(MT = 0) (MT = 100) (MT = 10,000)
Size 14 um 1,400 um 140,000 um
Table 1.

In table 1, the initial size of the specimen was 14 micrometers. Under the microscope, it increased to
1400 micrometers while being magnified 100x. The object under the microscope increased to 140,000
micrometers when its drawn.

With these, we can infer that the size of the object increased, and appears to be larger, when magnified.
Likewise, the object drawn appeared larger than the object observed in the microscope. Therefore, the
image drawn under the microscope is magnified.

3. How would you measure the amount of magnification of the object you are seeing through the
eyepiece?

Let’s use the 14 um sample from question as an example. It is 1,400 micrometers under the microscope.
To get its magnification, you must gather the quotient of the size of magnified object under microscope
and its sample size.

M = Size of the object observed in microscope / Sample size

M = 1,400 um / 14 um

M = 100x

Likewise, the amount of magnification can be measured by multiplying the objective magnification and
eyepiece magnification. The objective magnification given in the previous problem was 10, while the
eyepience magnification was 10. Here is the formula:

MT = M O x M E

MT = 10 x 10

MT = 100x

4. How is it that the image of an object viewed under a microscope appears to be reversed?

It could be the lens that is producing a reversed image.

5. How does microscopy provide evidence for the functions of cells and its organelles?