A compound microscope is a type of microscope that uses two or more lenses to produce a magnified image of a specimen. The objective lens, which is located at the bottom of the microscope, focuses light on the specimen. The eyepiece lens, which is located at the top of the microscope, magnifies the image produced by the objective lens.

Compound microscopes are used to observe small objects that cannot be seen with the naked eye. They are commonly used in biology, chemistry, and other scientific fields.