What is compound microscope ? Explain by figure of its construction.

Explanation

A simple microscope has a limited maximum magnification (`le 9`) for realistic focal lengths. For much larger magnification, one uses two lenses one compounding the effect of the other. This is known as a compound microscope.
A schematic diagram of a compound microscope is shown in figure.

The lens nearest the object called the objective forms a real inverted, magnified image of the object.
This serves as the object for the second lens, the eyepiece, which functions essentially like a simple microscope or magnifier, produces the final image which is enlarged and virtual.
The first inverted image is thus near (at or within the focal plane of the eyepiece at a distance appropriate for final image formation at infinity, or a little closer for image formation at the near point. Clearly the final image is inverted with respect to the original object.