Which type of objective provides the greatest depth of field and field of view?

The type of objective that provides the greatest depth of field and field of view is the low power objective. This is primarily due to its design and optical characteristics.

When observing specimens under a microscope, the low power objective lens typically has a lower magnification, which means that it will present a larger area of the specimen in the field of view. This allows for more context to be seen, making it easier to locate structures before switching to higher magnifications for detailed examination.

Additionally, lower magnifications inherently have a greater depth of field compared to higher magnifications. Depth of field refers to the range of distance within a specimen that appears in focus simultaneously. As magnification increases, the depth of field decreases, which can make it more challenging to keep three-dimensional structures in focus.

This characteristic of the low power objective makes it particularly useful for initial examinations, where the goal is to get a clear overview of the sample structure without yet needing to focus on finer details that higher magnification would provide.