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Microscope Parts and Functions

The document provides detailed information on the compound microscope, including its history, parts, and functions, as well as instructions for focusing and preparing wet mount slides. Key components such as the eyepiece lens, objective lenses, and diaphragm are explained, along with proper techniques for using and staining slides. Safety precautions and care instructions for the microscope are also emphasized to ensure proper handling and maintenance.

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17 views4 pages

Microscope Parts and Functions

The document provides detailed information on the compound microscope, including its history, parts, and functions, as well as instructions for focusing and preparing wet mount slides. Key components such as the eyepiece lens, objective lenses, and diaphragm are explained, along with proper techniques for using and staining slides. Safety precautions and care instructions for the microscope are also emphasized to ensure proper handling and maintenance.

Uploaded by

riahzabbm
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Microscope ( Practical Exam for

General Biology 1 )
Historians credit the invention of the compound
microscope to the Dutch spectacle maker,
Zacharias Janssen, around the year 1590. The
compound microscope uses lenses and light to
enlarge the image and is also called an optical or
light microscope (vs./ an electron microscope). The
simplest optical microscope is the magnifying glass
and is good to about ten times (10X) magnification.
The compound microscope has two systems of
lenses for greater magnification, 1) the ocular, or
eyepiece lens that one looks into and 2) the
objective lens, or the lens closest to the object.
Before purchasing or using a microscope, it is
important to know the functions of each part .

Eyepiece Lens: the lens at the top that you look


through. They are usually 10X or 15X power.

Tube: Connects the eyepiece to the objective lenses

Arm: Supports the tube and connects it to the


base. It is used along with the base to carry the
microscope

Base: The bottom of the microscope, used for support

Illuminator: A steady light source (110 volts) used in place of a mirror.

Stage: The flat platform where you place your slides. Stage clips hold the slides in place.

Revolving Nosepiece or Turret: This is the part that holds two or more objective lenses and can
be rotated to easily change power.

Objective Lenses: Usually you will find 3 or 4 objective lenses on a microscope. They almost
always consist of 4X, 10X, 40X and 100X powers. When coupled with a 10X (most common)
eyepiece lens, we get total magnifications of 40X (4X times 10X), 100X , 400X and 1000X. The
shortest lens is the lowest power, the longest one is the lens with the greatest power. The high
power objective lenses are retractable (i.e. 40XR). This means that if they hit a slide, the end of
the lens will push in (spring loaded) thereby protecting the lens and the slide.

Rack Stop: This is an adjustment that determines how close the objective lens can get to the
slide. It is set at the factory and keeps students from cranking the high power objective lens down
into the slide and breaking things.

Diaphragm or Iris: Many microscopes have a rotating disk under the stage. This diaphragm has
different sized holes and is used to vary the intensity and size of the cone of light that is projected
upward into the slide. There is no set rule regarding which setting to use for a particular power.
Rather, the setting is a function of the transparency of the specimen, the degree of contrast you
desire and the particular objective lens in use.

Coarse adjustment: This is used to focus the microscope. It is always used first, and it is used only
with the low power objective.
Fine adjustment: This is used to focus the microscope. It is used with the high power objective to
bring the specimen into better focus.

How to Focus Your Microscope: The proper way to focus a microscope is to start with the
lowest power objective lens first and while looking from the side, crank the lens down as close to
the specimen as possible without touching it. Now, look through the eyepiece lens and focus
upward only until the image is sharp. If you can’t get it in focus, repeat the process again. Once
the image is sharp with the low power lens, you should be able to simply click in the next power
lens and do minor adjustments with the fine adjustment knob. If your microscope has a fine focus
adjustment, turning it a bit should be all that’s necessary. Continue with subsequent objective
lenses and fine focus each time. Note: Both eyes should be open when viewing through the
microscope. This prevents eye fatigue, which occurs when the nonviewing eye is kept closed.
Keeping both eyes open does take some practice, but it is highly recommended. Also, you should
never let your eye touch the ocular lens. If your eyelashes touch the lens you are to close. Always
remove eyeglasses when viewing through a microscope. If your eyeglass lens touches the
microscope it may get scratched.

Making a wetmount slide Procedure:


1. Place a clean slide on a paper towel on the lab table. Handle slides at the ends, not
the center, to avoid getting fingerprints in the viewing area of the slide.
2. Place a drop of water on the center of a clean dry slide
3. Using the tweezers, place the specimen in the middle of the drop.
4. While holding the cover slip upright, carefully place
one edge of the cover slip next to the water. Hold the
coverslip by the edges to avoid fingerprints. Set one edge
against the slide and lower it until it
contacts the liquid. The liquid should spread across the whole area of the coverslip. Slowly lower
the upper edge of the cover slip onto the water. The objective is to minimize or eliminate air
bubbles under the cover slip. You might find it helpful to use one toothpick to hold the lower edge
in place, while using another to carefully lower the slip into place.
5. An absorbent towel can be placed at the edge of the cover slip to draw out some of the water,
further flattening the wet mount slide.
6. Never view a slide without a coverslip. The coverslip protects the objective lens from the
liquid on the slide.

How To Stain a Slide:


7. Place one drop of Methylene Blue stain on one edge of the
coverslip, and the flat edge of a piece of paper towel on the
other edge of the coverslip. The paper towel will draw the water
out from under the coverslip, and the cohesion of the water will
draw the stain under the coverslip.
2. As soon as the stain has covered the area containing the specimen you are finished. The
stain does not need to be under the entire coverslip. If the stain does not cover the area needed,
get a new piece of paper towel and add more stain until it does.
3. Be sure to wipe off the excess stain with a paper towel, so you don’t end up staining the
objective lenses.
4. You are now ready to place the slide on the microscope stage. Be sure to follow all the
instructions on the previous pages as to how to use the microscope.
5. When you have completed your drawings, be sure to wash and dry both the slide and the
coverslip and return them to the correct places!
6. All slides must be put away in the proper trays! Students will not leave until all materials have
been put way
properly. You are a team!
7. Remember – You break it you buy it!!! The microscopes you are using have a
replacement cost of about $500. (CASH ONLY – NO CHECKS) Be very careful. Keep
the power cords and microscopes at least 6 inches away from the edge of the
counter.

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