Words in the English language are often confused with each other, or incorrectly used interchangeably. "Magnification" and "resolution" are two words that really mean something quite different.
Magnification Defined
Magnify is defined as "to cause to appear greater in size, to enlarge, to exaggerate."
Resolution Defined
Resolution refers to the quality or sharpness of the image.
Magnification Explained
Lower magnification ranges do not always require fine details. A magnifying glass does not have fine resolution, although it is not normally needed for that purpose.
Resolution Explained
Precise resolution is required primarily when magnifying something greatly, such as viewing slides under a microscope.
Microscope Example
Individual cells are not visible to the naked eye, but under a microscope you can see the vivid details. The cell may be magnified, but appear to be fuzzy because the quality of the image is poor. When the microscope user adjusts the resolution by twisting the eye piece the cell will look accurate. The GAC.edu website shows an example of the need for resolution when using a microscope.
Tags: under microscope