Essays on the Microscope: Containing a Practical Description of the Most Improved Microscopes, a General History of Insects, etc., etc.Adams, George
Science
Essays on the Microscope: Containing a Practical Description of the Most Improved Microscopes, a General History of Insects, etc., etc.
Adams, George
Insects -- Early works to 1800; Microscopy -- Early works to 1800
To find how much the object is magnified, is not so easily done by the
single, as by the compound microscope, as has been before explained. The
following simple method has been adopted by Mr. Coventry, and which may
be considered tolerably accurate. Adjust a micrometer under the
microscope, suppose 100th of an inch of divisions, with a small object
on it, if square, the better; notice how many divisions one side of the
object covers, suppose ten; then cut a piece of white paper something
larger than the magnified appearance of the object; fix one eye on the
object through the microscope, and the other at the same time on the
paper, lowering it down till the object and the paper appear level and
distinct: then cut the paper till it appear exactly the size of the
magnified object; the paper being then measured, suppose an inch square:
now, as the object under the magnifier, which appeared to be one inch
square, was in reality only ten hundredths, or the tenth of an inch, the
experiment proves that it is magnified ten times in length, one hundred
times in superficies, and one thousand times in cube, which is the
magnifying power of the glass; and in the same manner a table may be
made of the power of all the other glasses.
In using the compound microscope, the real size of the object is found
by the same method as in the single; but to demonstrate the magnifying
power to greater certainty, adopt the following method. Lay a two-feet
rule on the stage, and a micrometer level with its surface, (an inch
suppose, divided into 100 parts:) with one eye see how many of those
parts are contained in the field of the microscope, suppose 50; and with
the other, at the same time, look for the circle of light in the field
of the microscope, which with a little practice will soon appear
distinct; mark how much of the rule, from the center of the stage, is
intersected by the circle of light, which will be half the diameter of
the field. Suppose eight inches; consequently the whole diameter will be
sixteen. Now, as the real size of the field by the micrometers appeared
to be only 50 hundredths, or half an inch, and as half an inch is only
one 32d part of 16 inches, it shews the magnifying power to be 32 times
in length, 1024 superficies, and 32768 in cube or bulk. For accuracy, as
well as for comparative observations, the rule should always be a
certain distance from the eye; eight inches in general is a proper
distance.
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