Supporting a student’s educational endeavors will go a long way in helping the student learn. Provide a budding scientist with a microscope will provide the student with hands on and up close and personal look at science at its very best. Student’s microscopes do not have to the biggest and most expensive on the earth, but they should have a level of decency to them to allow the student to get the full benefit out of having one. There are a few things to keep in mind when purchasing a microscope for a student.

The Light Source is Critical

The light source for the microscope is a great consideration as without proper lighting the specimen’s will be difficult to see. When choosing a student’s microscope, keep in mind the light source of the scope. An exterior light source is mirrors attached to the scope. The mirrors have to be adjusted to reflect in, the right amount of light to allow the specimen to be seen. If there is not enough light, the specimen may or may not be seen. A scope with a built in light source will provide the necessary lighting, and it will not matter if the lighting in the room is adequate or not. The built in light source will provide all the illumination necessary to see the specimen as clear as a bell. Check to be sure replacement bulbs are readily available for a microscope with a built in light source.

Durability is the Key

In the excitement of discovering something of a scientific nature, the budding scientist may knock over the microscope. That is one of the many reasons student microscopes should be made of a durable and quality material. The scopes should stand up to the normal and daily wear and tear of the scope. It should be able to withstand a knock or two to the floor. Even if the scope does not break, there is the possibility the lenses could be knocked out of kilter making viewing less than desirable. Cheap, plastic will not do the job and can be easily broken if the plastic is of cheap quality. The goal is to make the students experience with a microscope positive and not negative because of flimsy equipment.

The Number of Lenses Could Make or Break the Microscope Experience

The strength and number of lenses the scope has is another consideration to keep in mind when purchasing a student’s microscope. The scope will have at least two sets of lenses that will enable the viewer to see a variety of magnifications. The first lens is the ocular lens, and it is in the eye piece. The second lens is the objective lens and used for gross focusing. A decent quality scope will have at least three objective lenses, and each has a different magnification. A quality microscope will have a magnification of 4x, 10x and 40x with a 10x eye piece. The overall magnification of the scope will be 1000x.

Best Viewing

An achromatic lens will color correct the being viewed specimen allowing the entire specimen to be seen in its true colors. A non achromatic lens will not color correct the specimen, and there may be parts of the specimen not able to be seen. This type of lens allows for the best viewing of a specimen and will bring the specimen to life for the budding young scientist.

Doc No:MB-825-ULT10-j53m