1 : to enlarge in fact or appearance A microscope magnifies an object seen through it. 2 : to cause to seem greater or more important : exaggerate The problem has been magnified by rumors.

What happens when you magnify something?

In simple magnification, light from an object passes through a biconvex lens and is bent (refracted) towards your eye. It makes it appear to have come from a much bigger object. ... (Microscopes usually come with a set of objective lenses that can be interchanged to vary the magnification.)

What does it mean for an object to magnify?

Magnification is the process of making an object appear much larger than it really is. You might use magnification to inspect a rare penny, or even a zit. You decide. Some small objects, like cells, require magnification to be seen at all.