why don't you go to a higher objective when you are trying to find something under a microscope?

Question

URGENT! question from a sophomore biology class-- If you can't see an object under a lower power you can't find it under a higher power, WHY!?

Answer 1

It isn't so much that you can't see something per se, it's a question of how much REAL area you can see under low magnification. When you go to higher magnification, the real area you can see decreases proportionally. So if you haven't located the object under low magnification, you won't locate it under higher magnification.

Answer 2

Cattbaff is right, a lower power can make you see much more area;you can not find it does not mean it is not big enough but is not under your sight .