Brightfield microscope

Definition

A brightfield microscope is a type of optical microscope that uses visible light to illuminate specimens, which appear dark against a bright background. It is commonly used for viewing stained or naturally pigmented samples.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Brightfield microscopes are the most basic and widely used type of light microscope.
2. They have limitations in resolving power and contrast when viewing unstained or transparent samples.
3. The magnification range of a brightfield microscope typically spans from 40x to 1000x.
4. Specimens often need to be stained with dyes to enhance visibility under a brightfield microscope.
5. Brightfield microscopes are ideal for observing fixed and stained biological specimens like bacteria, plant cells, and tissues.

Review Questions

• What type of illumination does a brightfield microscope use?
• Why might staining be necessary when using a brightfield microscope?
• What is the typical magnification range of a brightfield microscope?

Related terms

Darkfield Microscope: An optical microscope that enhances contrast in unstained samples by using oblique lighting.

Phase-Contrast Microscope: A type of optical microscope that converts phase shifts in light passing through a transparent specimen to brightness changes in the image.

Fluorescence Microscope: A specialized optical microscope that uses fluorescence to generate an image by illuminating the sample with specific wavelengths of light.