Q&A for How to Make a Microscope

In science, you can't use a magnifying glass to observe a liquid, germ, molecules, etc.

No, because the majority of viruses are too small for that. You would need an electron microscope to view them. There are a few so called "giant viruses" (200-400 nm) that could be observed through an optical (light) microscope, but not without laboratory equipment.

Yes, Part 1 is enough to accomplish the basic purpose envisioned in the above article. Parts 2 and 3 are just refinements.

Probably not. The "microscope" above is intended more as a toy than as a scientific tool. It all depends on the quality and the compatibility of the lenses used.

A modern, electronic microscope can provide images of single cells or even atoms.

A simple optical microscope uses an electric light bulb above the sample and a small mirror below it.

No. Moving one lens with respect to the other will merely focus the image.

No, it's not that powerful.

The homemade microscope featured in the above article will not produce enough magnification to show bacteria. The lenses it uses are convex.

No, a plastic bottle will not refract light in any useful way.

It's possible, but you'd have to experiment with them to see if they would work. (Just hold them in your hands at various distances from each other to see if you can get a useful image.)

No, plastic bottles will not produce a useful image. Nothing but lenses will work.

It depends on the lenses you use, but this article was probably not created with the intention of making a microscope that powerful.

See Part 1 Step 3 above.