2007-04-24 23:48:18 · 2 answers · asked by ash 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
The oil helps to enhance the light gathering properties of the objective lens.The oil immersion lens (x100) gives higher magnification than the normal high power objective lens (x40) and since there is no medium (air) with a different refractive index between the objective lens and the cover slip, better resolution is also achieved.
2007-04-25 00:08:40 · answer #1 · answered by Crazygirl 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The following website says: "One or two drops of oil are placed on top of the coverslip and the 100X objective lens is brought into position so that it touches the oil and creates a "bridge" of oil between the slide and objective lens. It has a refractive index very close to that of glass. This allows very little refraction of the light rays as they go through the slide, specimen, coverslip, oil and through the glass objective lens of your microscope. "
http://www.microscope-microscope.org/advanced/numerical-aperture.htm
You can find your other microscope answers on that page as well.
2007-04-25 06:57:16 · answer #2 · answered by ecolink 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋