When light passes from a material of one refractive index to another (for example: from glass to air), it bends. When using the 100x oil immersion objective without immersion oil, light is being lost when it passes from the glass slide, through the air, to the glass objective lens. In short, the light is bending, resulting in a microscopy image that is less crisp and clear than if immersion oil were being used with that same lens.
Take a look at the example below - these images were captured using the
UX1 Achromat microscope 100x oil immersion lens. The first image was captured dry, the second using
microscope immersion oil.
![Microscope image of the duodenum captured with the 100x objective lens dry.]( "Microscopy image captured with 100x lens without using any immersion oil.") |
| Duodenum captured using a 100x achromat oil lens dry (without immersion oil). |
![Duodenum under the microscope captured with a 100x objective lens using immersion oil.]( "Duodenum under the microscope captured with a 100x objective lens using immersion oil.") |
| Duodenum captured using a 100x achromat oil lens with immersion oil. |
Visit this "Microscope Immersion Oil Explained" page to learn more about why, when and how to use immersion oil.
