What type of microscope uses visible light and a series of lenses to magnify an image?

The type of microscope that uses visible light and a series of lenses to magnify an image is the compound light microscope. This device operates by passing visible light through a sample and utilizing a system of lenses to focus and magnify the image for viewing. The combination of an objective lens and an eyepiece lens allows for significant magnification and detailed observation of specimens, making it particularly useful in biology and other natural sciences.

Compound light microscopes are versatile tools and can be used to examine thin sections of tissue, live cells, and various microorganisms. The structure typically consists of multiple lenses, which contribute to the overall magnifying power, and it is able to show color and detail, as it relies on visible light.

In contrast, electron microscopes utilize beams of electrons for imaging and have much greater resolution but do not employ visible light, thus making them different in function and application. Fluorescence microscopes, while also using visible light, are designed to observe fluorescent materials and require specific light sources to activate fluorescence. Stereomicroscopes provide a three-dimensional view and are typically used for larger, opaque specimens but are a different category of optical microscope.