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What To Look For When Buying Educational Microscopes For Students

microscope

Microscope is a key tool in teaching science to students. Not only does it make learning interesting, but it also makes learning more accurate. Microorganisms that are invisible to the naked eye can be made visible with a microscope.

Because of more and more advancements in technology, there are so many more microscopes now than there used to be. The wide array of options can only make you even more confused with what to look for, especially if you don’t know how to distinguish one microscope from another.

For the curious or amateur scientist who has never tried laying hands on the equipment, it’s a good idea to learn about the necessary things to consider when buying a microscope. This article covers some of the most important factors you’ll need to be on the lookout for when buying educational microscopes for students.

1. The Kind Of Microscope

There are many different kinds and types of microscopes sold today from reputable companies like the New York Microscope Company. But, as a first means of dividing your options, you’ll want to select from these two: simple or compound.

A simple microscope only has one lens. A compound microscope, on the other hand, has an eyepiece and an objective too.
Your choice when narrowing down between the two types will depend on how you intend to use the microscope. Moreover, you can be guided by the following variables:

Magnification. If you really wish to have a microscope with higher magnification levels, you should go for a binocular microscope.
Application. A microscope with a mechanical stage will really come in handy, especially for higher-level students that need more advanced applications.
Comfort. All the features that a simple or compound microscope has will only be useless if the microscope isn’t comfortable enough to use.

It’s also best to ask for advice from the experts, or even a science professor. You can also read through reviews from credible sources like the PR Web. If you’re planning to keep and use the microscope for the long-term, you’ll want to assure yourself that you’re making the right decision.

2. The ‘Right’ Light Microscope

After choosing between a simple and a compound microscope, now you’ll have to know what makes the ‘right’ light microscope?

Generally, it’s dependent on your chosen application for the microscope. But, before you can determine whether or not it’s truly the microscope for your application, you have to know these basics:
There are two sources of magnification in a light microscope. These are the objective lens and the eyepiece lens.

You don’t need to choose a microscope that has the highest magnification levels. In fact, most light microscopes can work very well with even less than 60x magnification.

3. The Manner Of Using A Microscope

Before you even make the final choice of what microscope to purchase, be sure that you’ve learned the basics of how to operate it. Your microscope’s features will only be useless if you don’t even know how to apply the basics.

It’s important to be able to use the microscope and know how it works. The last thing that you want is someone getting very frustrated and not knowing what they’re doing when they’re trying to view something under the microscope.

Make sure that you’ve had some experience with the microscope before you buy one so that you can be sure that you have a grasp of how the machine works. Know the application because one microscope type can be effective for one purpose than for another.

4. The Quality

There are microscopes in all range of prices. What matters most isn’t really how much you spend on the microscope, but how good its quality is. You’ll want the microscope to last along your kids’ years of study, and from one child to another, if possible. If your student is on his or her university studies, all the more that you need to choose superior microscope quality so they can also take it with them as they launch their science career.

When you try to decipher a microscope’s quality, this should refer to the following aspects:

Quality Of Build

If you want longer-lasting microscopes, those having better quality are generally not the ones made of plastic. You’ll want to look for design elements like solid metal alloys, iris diaphragms, and high-quality prisms instead of mirrors.

Optical Quality

This refers to the overall quality of the objective lenses and eyepieces. A good quality objective lens is an achromatic lens. This kind of lens has colour-correcting feature, which produces an enhanced image of the specimen.

With eyepieces, the general rule to follow is the wider the eyepiece, the easier the viewing capability.

Illumination

Quality illumination for microscopy is divided into four categories: LED, tungsten, halogen, and fluorescent.

Conclusion

With these tips, now you can make the process of choosing a microscope an enjoyable one! There are so many variables that go into choosing a microscope, but these don’t necessarily have to turn the process into a daunting one.

As you put all these considerations together, you’ll also find a wide assortment of options, including one that’ll surely fit your budget. Now bring this list of tips with you, and begin shopping!

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