Editing Microscopic scale (section)

== Levels of Microscopic Scale ==
[[File:Cay sand.JPG|thumb|Cay foraminifera sand from Warraber Island Torres Strait, under a light microscope. The shape and texture in each individual grain is made visible through the microscope.<ref>{{Citation |last=en.wikipedia |first=D. E. Hart-Chopperxs at |title=English: Cay foraminifera sand under a microscope, from Warraber Island - Torres Strait . Photo by DE Hart 2003. |date=2003 |url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cay_sand.JPG |access-date=2022-05-27}}</ref>]]
As the microscopic scale covers any object that cannot be seen by the naked eye, yet is visible under a microscope, the range of objects that fall under this scale can be as small as an atom, visible underneath a [[Transmission electron microscopy|transmission electron microscope]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Microscopes and telescopes |url=https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/topics/microscopes-and-telescopes |access-date=2022-05-12 |website=Science Learning Hub |language=en}}</ref> Microscope types are often distinguished by their mechanism and application, and can be divided into two general categories.<ref name="Nikon’s MicroscopyU">{{Cite web |title=Resolution |url=https://www.microscopyu.com/microscopy-basics/resolution |access-date=2022-05-12 |website=Nikon’s MicroscopyU}}</ref>
[[File:Schlagmarken1.jpg|thumb|The impact marks and features on this single grain of sand can be clearly viewed through an electron microscope.<ref>{{Citation |last=Ries |first=Gunnar |title=Schlagmarken auf einem Sandkorn elektronenmikrokopische Aufnahme |date=2005-10-31 |url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Schlagmarken1.jpg |access-date=2022-05-27}}</ref>]]

=== Light microscopes ===
{{main|light microscope}}
Amongst light microscopes, the utilised [[Objective (optics)|objective lens]] dictates how small of an object can be seen. These varying objective lenses can change the resolving power of the microscope, which determines the shortest distance that somebody is able to distinguish two separate objects through that microscope lens. It is important to note that the resolution between two objects varies from individual to individual,<ref name="Nikon’s MicroscopyU" /> but the strength of the objective lenses can be quantified.<ref name="internationalmedicalaid-2020">{{Cite web  |author=internationalmedicalaid |date=2020-11-19 |title=What Are The 5 Types Of Microscopes And Their Uses |url=https://medicalaid.org/what-are-the-5-types-of-microscopes-and-their-uses/ |access-date=2022-05-12 |website=International Medical Aid |language=en-US}}</ref>

In the 1660s, [[Antonie van Leeuwenhoek]] devised a simple microscope utilising a single spherical lens mounted between two thin brass plates. Depending on the quality of the lens, magnifications of between 70x and 250x were possible. The specimen to be examined was mounted on a  point on a finely threaded rod.<ref name="ALI" >{{cite journal|url=https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Anton-van-Leeuwenhoeks-simple-microscope_fig3_49749832|title= Figure 1. Portrait of Anton van Leeuwenhoek (1632-1723)|access-date=2 January 2024|date=October 2010|pages = 311–4|volume = 42|journal = Revista Argentina de microbiología|doi = 10.1590/S0325-75412010000400013
|doi-broken-date= 1 November 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nsf.gov/news/speeches/colwell/rc01_anatlesson/tsld005.htm|access-date=2 January 2024|title=Leeuwenhoek Microscope|publisher=National Science Foundation}}</ref>

[[Optical_microscope#Compound_microscope|Compound light microscopes]] have a short focal length objective lens which produces a [[real image]]  which is examined using a longer focal length eyepiece. The ratio of the focal length of the objective and the eyepiece, when mounted in a standard tube length, gives an approximate magnification of the system. Due to their design, compound microscopes have  improved resolving power and contrast in comparison to simple microscopes,<ref name="internationalmedicalaid-2020" /> and can be used to view the structure, shape and motility of a cell and its organisms,<ref name="Microbiology Note-2020">{{Cite web |date=2020-07-07 |title=Types of Microscopes with their applications |url=https://microbiologynote.com/types-of-microscopes-with-their-applications/ |access-date=2022-05-12 |website=Microbiology Note |language=en-US}}</ref> which can be as small as 0.1 micrometres.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-07-05 |title=4.1D: Cell Size |url=https://bio.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Introductory_and_General_Biology/Book%3A_General_Biology_(Boundless)/04%3A_Cell_Structure/4.1%3A_Studying_Cells/4.1D%3A_Cell_Size |access-date=2022-05-12 |website=Biology LibreTexts |language=en}}</ref>

=== Electron microscopes ===
While electron microscopes are still a form of compound microscope, their use of [[electron]] beams to illuminate objects varies in mechanism significantly from compound light microscopes, allowing them to have a much higher resolving power, and magnification approximately 10,000 times more than light microscopes.<ref name="Microbiology Note-2020" /> These can be used to view objects such as [[atom]]s, which are as small as 0.001 micrometres.<ref name="Waikato" />