Bright-field microscopy, also known as light microscopy, is the simplest optical microscopy technique that uses light to produce a dark image against a bright background. It is the standard microscope used in biology and microbiology laboratories. Bright-field microscopy works by passing light through a specimen, which is differentially absorbed and refracted to produce a contrasting image. The microscope's objective lenses magnify the specimen's image, which is further magnified by the eyepiece for viewing. Magnification ranges from 40-1000x depending on the objective and 10x eyepiece lenses. Bright-field microscopy is used to study animal and plant cells, bacteria, and parasites.
Bright-field microscopy is a fundamental optical technique used in biology, employing light to create images against bright backgrounds.
The principle involves light transmission through specimens, producing images via absorption and refraction, highlighting crucial parts of the microscope.
Magnification is achieved through objective and eyepiece lenses, ranging from 40x to 1000x, determined by their respective powers.
Utilized across various biological fields to study cells, including animal and plant cells, and identifying microorganisms.
Simple utilization with minimal adjustments, effective for both stained and unstained specimens without altering colors.
Limitations include poor contrast, inability to view live specimens, and a maximum magnification drawback with potential image distortion.
★ Bright-field microscopyis the simplest of all the optical
microscopy illumination techniques.
★ It is also known as the compound light microscope.it
uses light rays to produce a dark image against a bright
background.
★ It is standard microscope that is used in Biology,Cellular
Biology,& Microbiology laboratory studies.
Introduction:
3.
Principle of BrightfieldMicroscope:
★ For a specimen to
be the focus and
produce an image
under the Brightfield
Microscope,the
specimen must pass
through a uniform
beam of the
illuminating light.
Through differential
absorption and
differential refraction,
the microscope will
produce a
contrasting image.
Magnification by BrightfieldMicroscope
★ The objective lenses are the main lenses used for focusing the
image, on the condenser. This produces an enlarged clear image
that is then magnified again by the eyepiece to form the primary
image that is seen by the eyes.
★ The magnification of the image is determined by the magnification of
the objective against the magnification of the eyepiece lens. The
objectives have a magnification power of 40x-1000x depending on
the type of brightfield microscope while the eyepiece lens has a
standard magnification power of 10x.
6.
cont…
Formula for magnification:
TotalMagnification power = Magnification of the objective lens
x Magnification of the eyepiece
★ The magnification is standard, i.e not too high nor too low, and therefore
depending on the magnification power of the lenses, it will range between
40X and 100oX.
★ The objective lens enlarges the image which can be viewed, a
characteristic known as resolution.
★ The eyepiece magnifies the image at the end of the viewing, its
magnification range is lower than that of the objective lens at 8X-12X (10X
standard) and that of the objective lens at 40X-100X, magnification, and
resolution of the microscope is highly dependant on the objective lens.
7.
Applications of BrightfieldMicroscope:
● Brightfield Microscope is used in several fields, from basic
biology to understanding cell structures in cell Biology,
Microbiology, Bacteriology to visualizing parasitic organisms in
Parasitology.
Some of its applications include:
1. Used to visualize and study the animal cells
2. Used to visualize and study plant cells.
3. Used to visualize and study the morphologies of bacterial
cells.
4. Used to identify parasitic protozoans such as Paramecium.
8.
Advantages of BrightfieldMicroscope:
★ It is simple to use with few adjustments involved while
viewing the image.
★ It can be used to view both stained and unstained.
★ The optics of the microscope do not alter the color of the
specimen.
9.
Disadvantages :
1. Theaperture diaphragm may cause great contrast which
may distort the outcome of the image, therefore iris
diaphragm is preferred.
2. It can not be used to view live specimens such as bacterial
cells. Only fixed specimens can be viewed under the
brightfield microscope.
3. The maximum magnification of the brightfield microscope is
100x but modification can readjust the magnification to
1000x which is the optimum magnification of bacterial cells.
4. It has low contrast hence most specimens must be stained
for them to be visualized.
10.
Cont…
4.The use ofoil immersion may distort the image.
5.The use of a coverslip may damage the specimen.
6.The microscope needs a strong light source for
magnification and sometimes the light source may
produce a lot of heat which may damage or kill the
specimen.