A microscope takes light rays from a point on a microscopic object, very near the optic axis, and transforms them into parallel light rays that will be focused by a human eye’s lens onto the eye’s retina (Fig. 7.8). Use matrix methods to explore the operation of such a microscope. A single lens (magnifying glass) could do the same job (rays from a point converted to parallel rays). Why does a microscope need two lenses? What focal lengths and lens separations are appropriate for the eye to resolve a bacterium 100 μm in size?

Fig. 7.8.

ray ray objective optic axis eye piece ray