Definition of High-Power Magnification

Microscopes come with a variety of magnification abilities, allowing the user to peer into miniscule worlds that may be invisible to the naked eye. "Magnification" refers to enlarging the image of something so you can see its features in greater detail. High-power magnification is a category of magnification.

Identification

Generally, high-power magnification is any type of magnification that enlarges the image of the object being studied by 1,000 times or more. It is typically labeled "x1000."

Considerations

On some lower-end microscopes, the high-power magnification abilities may reach only x300 or x400. In this sense, high-power magnification is the highest setting for that given microscope.

Variations

Electron microscopes have some of the most powerful magnification abilities in the world. However, these microscopes don't use optics or lenses but instead rely on streams of electrons that are passed through the objects being viewed.

Other Magnification

Some binoculars and telescopes are advertised as having high-power magnification for looking at far away objects.

Limitations

Empty magnification occurs when a microscope or other optical device exceeds its magnification limit. The object may appear bigger, but the image will blur beyond recognition.

References

• Biology Online: Magnification
• Molecular Expressions: 50 Most Frequently Asked Questions About Optical Microscopy
• Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich: Electron Microscopy