What type of microscopy uses lenses to magnify specimens?

Light microscopy uses lenses to magnify specimens by capturing light that passes through the sample. It primarily relies on visible light and optical lenses to increase the size of objects, making them visible to the human eye. This type of microscopy is one of the earliest forms used in scientific study and is fundamental in many biological and medical applications.

In contrast, electron microscopy utilizes beams of electrons instead of light, which allows for much higher magnification and resolution but does not involve traditional lenses in the optical sense. Fluorescence microscopy employs specific wavelengths of light to excite fluorescent molecules in the sample, and while it also enhances visibility through lenses, it is not solely based on lens magnification by the same principles as light microscopy. Atomic force microscopy operates by scanning a probe over the surface of the specimen and does not employ lenses at all, focusing instead on force interactions.