Student: ______________________________________________

Laboratory Report 1 Date: _________ Section: ______________________________

1 Brightfield Microscopy

A. Short-Answer Questions
1. Describe the position of your hands when carrying the microscope to and from your laboratory bench.
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2. Differentiate between the limit of resolution of the typical light microscope and that of the unaided
human eye.
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3. (a) What two adjustments can be made to the condenser? (b) What effect do these adjustments have on
the image?
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4. Why are condenser adjustments generally preferred over the use of the light intensity control?
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5. When using the oil immersion lens, what four procedures can be implemented to achieve the maximum
resolution?
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6. Why is it advisable to start first with the low-power lens when viewing a slide?

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7. Why is it necessary to use oil in conjunction with the oil immersion lens and not with the other
objectives?
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8. What is the relationship between the working distance of an objective lens and its magnification
power?
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Brightfield Microscopy (continued)
B. Matching Questions
Match the lens (condenser, high-dry, low-power, ocular, or oil immersion) to its
ANSWERS
description. Choices may be used more than once.
Matching
1. This objective lens provides the highest magnification.
2. This objective lens provides the second-highest magnification. 1. _____________________
3. This objective lens provides the lowest magnification.
4. This objective lens has the shortest working distance. 2. _____________________
5. The coarse focus knob should be adjusted only when using this
objective lens. 3. _____________________
6. This lens collects and focuses light from the lamp onto the specimen
on the slide. 4. _____________________
7. This lens, also known as the eyepiece, often comes in pairs.
5. _____________________
8. Diopter adjustments can be made to this lens.
9. A diaphragm is used to regulate light passing through this lens. 6. _____________________

C. True-False 7. _____________________
1. Acetone is the safest solvent for cleaning an objective lens.
2. Only lint-free, optically safe tissue should be used to wipe off 8. _____________________ microscope
lenses.
3. The total magnification capability of a light microscope is only 9. _____________________ limited by
the magnifying power of the lens system.
4. The coarse focus knob can be used to adjust the focus when using True-False any of the objective lenses.
5. Once focus is achieved at one magnification, a higher-power objec- 1. _____________________ tive
lens can be rotated into position without fear of striking the
slide. 2. _____________________

D. Multiple Choice 3. _____________________

Select the answer that best completes the following statements.

1. The resolving power of a microscope is a function of 4. _____________________

a. the magnifying power of the lenses.
b. the numerical aperture of the lenses. 5. _____________________ c. the wavelength of
light.
d. Both (a) and (b) are correct.
e. Both (b) and (c) are correct. Multiple Choice
2. The coarse and fine focus knobs adjust the distance between
a. the objective and ocular lenses. 1. _____________________ b. the ocular lenses.

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 c. the ocular lenses and your eyes. 2. _____________________ d. the stage and the condenser
lens.
e. the stage and the objective lens. 3. _____________________
3. A microscope that maintains focus when the objective magnifica-tion is increased is called
a. binocular.
b. myopic.
c. parfocal.
d. refractive.
e. resolute.
Brightfield Microscopy (continued)

4. The total magnification achieved when using a 100 oil immersion 4. _____________________ lens
with 10 binocular eyepieces is
a. 10. 5. _____________________
b. 100.
c. 200.
d. 1000. 6. _____________________
e. 2000.
5. The most useful adjustment for increasing image contrast in low-power magnification is
a. closing down the diaphragm.
b. closing one eye.
c. opening up the diaphragm.
d. placing a drop of oil on the slide.
e. using a blue filter.
6. Before the oil immersion lens is rotated into place, you should
a. center the object of interest in the preceding lens.
b. lower the stage with use of the coarse focus adjustment knob.
c. place a drop of oil on the slide.
d. Both (a) and (c) are correct.
e. All are correct.