Focus: point where the light rays crossing a lens intersect to form an image.

Glare: unfavorable light scattered by a sample, which disserve the image details. Diffuse
or disseminated light inside of the microscope system. Usually has its origin in an incorrect
use of a diaphragms and condenser lenses.
Infrared: part of the spectrum in which wavelengths are excessive long to de perceived by
the human eye .However these colors can be recorder thanks to the latest advanced in
photography techniques.
Interferometer: precision measuring instrument that uses the interference of light waves.
The units of measure are usually nanometers.
Lens: piece of concave or convex glass used to change de direction of light rays which
results in the increase or decrease of the apparent size of the objects. There are lenses
with multiple forms in relation of the purpose for which have been designed.
Lens system: two or more lenses mounted to work together and thus play a role. For
example, a condenser lenses, a projection lens system, a microscope, etc.
Light: electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength between 400nm and 700nm
perceptible by the human eye, which is essentially sensitive to radiation of 555nm, yellowgreenlight. When radiation with wavelengths mentioned above, reaches the retina
stimulates nerve impulses that cause vision White light is composed of a mixture of
multiple wavelengths or colors. When samples are too transparent to be observed can be
stained correctly. In this way can display the color image of the focused sample, since the
dye absorbs certain wavelengths of light and transmits the other eye.
Macroscope: instrument for viewing objects at low magnification.
Meniscus: half-moon shaped lens: a concave surface, convex on the other. It can be
convergent or divergent.
Disk micrometer: regulated transparent disk placed at the eyepiece of a microscope that
allows precision measurements on the object of study.
Monochromatic light: light of one color (wavelength).
Monochromator: spectrometer type that emits light with a single wavelength.
Object distance: distance between the optical center of the lens to the point where the
object to be displayed is at.
Lens optical axis: unitary lens, prism, mirror or other optical part of an optical system.
Normally consist for a single piece of material.
Optical crystal: high quality glass specially designed for their use in scientific instruments.
Microscopes lenses and prisms are manufactured with quality a type of glass with a
refractive index and specific dispersion values.

Optics: science that studies the properties of light and vision.

Optical filters: any glass filter, or laminated, colored or neutral gelatin, used to modify the
light source. Light from a tungsten filament bulb is yellow and is usually made whiter by
inserting a blue filter absorbs the red exes. Selective use of complementary filters can
contribute greatly to strengthening the colored sample details.
Photomacrography: recording images of thick samples at low magnification. the
microscope is replaced by photomacrography lenses on the front of the camera.
Photomicrography: recording photographic images displayed on the microscope.
Chromatic plane: indicates that the target, besides being chromatically corrected, has
been designed to have a flat field across the visible area.
Plane: with flat characteristics; a lens surface of the flat type has no curve at all.
planeconvex lens having a flat surface and one curved inward.
Prism: transparent body (made of optical glass, fluorite or quartz, etc.) with at least two
polished flat faces inclined against each other: from them the light is reflected or through
them refracts.
Projection distance: distance from the projection lens to the screen where the image is
focused.
Real image (aerial image): space image formed by a lens system. their presence can
only be displayed by inserting a receiving screen, a flat surface or frosted glass projection
screen.
Reduction: process in which a small image of a large object is obtained.
Reflection: return of light from an optical surface to the medium from which it came.
Refraction: deviation and speed change suffering a light passing from one transparent
medium to another of different density beam.
Refractive index: relation between the sine of the angle of incidence to the sine of the
angle of refraction when light passes from air into a transparent medium.
Refractometer: instrument for identification or classification of substances based on their
characteristic refractive index, dispersion or percentage of dissolved solids.
Glasses: for the use of the microscope is not necessary to wear glasses for vision
correction for near or far. the user simply focus the instrument with the fine tuning of a
different way than would do another person. However, if glasses have correction for
astigmatism, it is recommended to be carried because obviously the microscope does not
correct this defect and may appear significant eyestrain with a defective vision.

Spectrometer: instrument designed to decompose the light generated by a source in

wavelengths that form and to indicate the wavelength on the calibrated scale.
Spectroscope: optical instrument used for visual observation of the visible portion of a
spectrum.
Spectrum: orderly distribution of radiant energy derived from atomic or molecular vibration
and ordered wavelengths expressed in nanometers (nm) or Anstrom (A). the most used
parts of the spectrum are ultraviolet (1850-4000 A), visible (4000th 7000 A) and infrared
(8000 35000 A).
Shutter (lens aperture): diaphragm in the range of a beam inserted so that the center of a
lens is exposed only.
Measurement units
1 meter (m) =1000mm
1 millimeter (mm) = 0.001 m
1 micron (mu) = 0.001mm
1 nanometer (nm) = 0.01mu = 0.000001mm
1 Angstrom (A) = 0.1 nm = 0.0000001mm
Virtual image: size and apparent position of the sample. This picture is not a real image,
is displayed under the microscope, it is displayed as if the reading distance. Has
established that the distance is about 250mm.
Wavelength: Light travels in waves that vary in length. the measurement is made between
the upper ends of two consecutive waves in microns (mu) or Angstroms (A). Measurement
is sometimes expressed with the Greek symbol m is equivalent to micron symbol mu.
Nanometer equals 10 * -9 = m.