The use of immersion oil is essential to achieve the maximum numerical aperture of an oil immersion objective lens. The refractive index of the oil matches the glass cover slip and the lens, allowing more light to enter the lens and increasing resolution. Without immersion oil, the numerical aperture and resolving power of the microscope are reduced because of the lower refractive index of air compared to oil.
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What is a numerical aperture (NA)?
Why is immersion oil used in microscopy?
How does the refractive index affect microscope performance?
This question's topic:
AAMA Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) /
Clinical Competency
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