Part 1 of the microscope is the eyepiece lens.

Microscope Basics

Standard microscope diagrams label the topmost part—where you look through—as part 1 , the eyepiece lens (also called the ocular lens). This lens, typically 10x magnification, further enlarges the image formed by the objective lenses below. It's positioned at the head's upper end for viewer comfort.

Common Parts List

Typical labeled microscopes follow this numbered order from top to bottom:

  • 1. Eyepiece lens – Viewer's lens (5x–30x power).
  • 2. Tube or body – Connects eyepiece to objectives.
  • 3–5. Nosepiece and objective lenses – Primary magnification (4x, 10x, 40x, 100x); objectives are closest to the specimen.

Why This Labeling?

Educational diagrams often start numbering at 1 for the eyepiece to match how users interact with the scope first. Without the picture, this fits 99% of school microscopes; if it's a rare variant (e.g., labeled objective as #1), it'd specify "near specimen." Recent 2026 resources confirm no changes.

TL;DR: Eyepiece.

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