optical microscopy

Oldest form of microscopy, using visible light to view samples and objects that cannot be seen with the unaided eye

EntityQ65788354

Also known as light microscopy

Subclass of: microscopy

Overview

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · Read full article · Text CC BY-SA 4.0

The optical microscope, also referred to as a light microscope, is a type of microscope that commonly uses visible light and a system of lenses to generate magnified images of small objects. Optical microscopes are the oldest type of microscope, with the present compound form first appearing in the 17th century. Basic optical microscopes can be very simple, although many complex designs aim to improve resolution and sample contrast.

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15 statements · 13% with external sources · numbers in brackets are citations

Uses: optical microscope
Different from: atomic force microscopy

On other databases

11 identifiers linking optical microscopy across the web's reference databases

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statements

13%

externally sourced

Source last edited October 31, 2026. AIDb refreshes this page daily.

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AIDb. (2026). optical microscopy (Q65788354). Retrieved from https://aidb.si/e/optical-microscopy-Q65788354