Eyepiece

Definition

The eyepiece, or ocular lens, is the part of a microscope through which you view the magnified object. It typically contains one or more lenses that further magnify the image produced by the objective lens.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The eyepiece usually has a magnification power between 5x and 30x.
2. It works in conjunction with the objective lens to provide total magnification, calculated by multiplying their magnifications.
3. The field of view decreases as magnification increases through the eyepiece.
4. Eyepieces can be monocular, binocular, or trinocular depending on the microscope design.
5. High-quality eyepieces reduce optical aberrations and improve image clarity.

Review Questions

• What is the typical range of magnification for an eyepiece in a microscope?
• How do you calculate the total magnification when using an eyepiece and an objective lens?
• What happens to the field of view as you increase magnification through the eyepiece?

Related terms

Objective Lens: A primary lens in a microscope that is closest to the specimen and provides initial magnification.

Field of View: The visible area seen through the microscope eyepiece.

Optical Aberration: Imperfections in image quality caused by limitations in lens design.