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How is the total magnification of a compound microscope calculated?
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Colour-enhanced scanning electron micrograph (magnified 50×) of a bean aphid on a leaf.
The total magnification of a compound microscope is calculated by multiplying the magnification of the objective lens by the magnification of the eyepiece (ocular).
In this system, the objective lens forms a real image, which is then further enlarged by the eyepiece to create a virtual image for the observer. Because the total power is the product of these two components, increasing the magnification of either lens will increase the overall magnifying power of the instrument.12