Question

A simple microscope is used by watchmakers. Give reason.

Answer 1

Any instrument which helps us to see microscopic things around us by magnifying them is known as a microscope. It is easier to study or work on microscopic things when they are magnified.

Complete step by step solution:
To understand how a microscope works, we first have to understand how a lens works. A lens is a piece of glass through which light refracts twice, changing its original path. There are numerous types of lenses, but the two main types of lenses are – biconvex and biconcave.
Both biconvex and biconcave lenses are types of spherical lenses, since their components are made up of spherical glass balls. In a biconvex lens, also known as convexo-convex lens, both the glass components are convex. Whereas in a biconcave lens, also known as concavo-concave lens, both the glass components are concave in shape. The biconvex lens has a property of bending the light towards the axis of the lens, hence it is also known as the converging lens. Similarly, the biconcave lens has a property of bending the light away from the axis of the lens, hence it is also known as a diverging lens.
A microscope is an optical instrument which helps us to look and observe minute things around us. A microscope is made up of a biconvex lens with short focal length. Now, usually a biconvex lens produces an inverted, diminished and real image. But if we shorten the distance between the lens and the object so much that the distance is less than is focal length, it produces an erect, virtual and magnified image.
Now, watchmakers usually deal with parts which cannot be seen or operated with the naked eye. Hence they need special instruments to deal with those parts and an optical enhancement to see those parts while working on them.
A simple microscope can magnify up to ten times, whereas a compound microscope can magnify up to even hundred times. A watchmaker needs a simple microscope because the parts with which he is dealing need not be magnified up to hundred times. In fact, if we try to see these parts under a compound microscope, we wouldn’t be able to see anything. And that is why a watchmaker uses a simple microscope.

Note: A simple microscope is also for several other purposes like examining the soil, observing a cell, studying an insect. A compound microscope helps us to observe cell organelles, intercellular interactions, even DNA sometimes. An electron microscope is known to have maximum magnifying power. With its help we can observe lattices, intermolecular space and even atoms sometimes.