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Using The Microscope Lab

This document provides instructions for using a light microscope to view a letter "e" slide at different magnifications. It guides the student to: 1) Examine the parts of the microscope and note magnification levels of lenses. 2) Sketch the letter "e" as it appears under the microscope at low, medium, and high powers. 3) Observe that the image is reversed under the microscope and why this is important to understand. The student is asked to carefully focus the slide at each magnification level and note how the image changes, in order to learn proper microscope technique and skills of observation.

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Camille Gayle
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
46 views

Using The Microscope Lab

This document provides instructions for using a light microscope to view a letter "e" slide at different magnifications. It guides the student to: 1) Examine the parts of the microscope and note magnification levels of lenses. 2) Sketch the letter "e" as it appears under the microscope at low, medium, and high powers. 3) Observe that the image is reversed under the microscope and why this is important to understand. The student is asked to carefully focus the slide at each magnification level and note how the image changes, in order to learn proper microscope technique and skills of observation.

Uploaded by

Camille Gayle
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Name and Class:

Introduction to the Light Microscope

Part A

1. Examine your microscope. Familiarize yourself with the parts of the microscope.

The magnification written on the ocular lens (eyepiece) is ______

2. The magnification written on:

the low power objective is _____ x

the medium power objective is ______x

the high power objective is ______x

3. The total magnification using the lenses can be determined by multiplying the objective lens with the
ocular lens. What is the total magnification of an item viewed with the:

a) LOW POWER objective. _____ b) HIGH POWER _______ c) MEDIUM POWER _______

4. Examine the diaphragm. Some of the microscopes have numbers written on the edges.

Does yours?__________ If there are numbers on the edge, they range from 1 to _____.

5. Which diaphragm setting provides the most light on the specimen. _______

6. What is the purpose of the stage clips? ___________

7. Look into the eyepiece, twist it left and right. Notice the line inside that moves as you twist. What
do you think this is for?

(If you do not have this on your microscope, look through one that does have it.)

Part B

1. Place the slide (Letter e) on the microscope so that the letter is over the hole in the stage and is
right side-up. Check the diaphragm setting, it should be at 1. Click the low power objective (the
smallest one) into place and use the coarse adjustment knob (the largest one) to focus the slide. If you
cannot get a focus at this point, ask for help.
2. Sketch the letter e as it appears under LOW power in
this circle. Do not change anything.

The circle represents the viewing field of the microscope. It


is called the Field of View

3. Draw your e to scale. (Draw it exactly how it appears in


the microscope, does it take up the whole circle, part of the
circle or some of the circle) Be accurate – this is your
observation section of the lab. (observation skill)

4. Also note the orientation of the "e". Is it right side up or upside down when viewed through the lens
of the microscope?

5. While viewing your letter e take your left hand and slowly push the glass slide to the right. What
happens? Which direction does the e appear to move?

6. Why do you think it might be important for someone to know that microscopes reverse the image?
7. Switch the objective to MEDIUM power

Use the coarse adjustment knob to bring the slide back into
focus. Sketch how the "e" appears now in the circle. Draw it to
scale again. (observation skill)

Medium Power

8. Now, rotate the nosepiece to the HIGH power The lens


should be very close to the slide. At this point DO NOT use
the coarse adjustment knob. The image should only be focused
using the fine adjustment knob. Sketch how the e appears
now in the circle. If your microscope shows nothing for you to
draw, then use a different microscope. (observation skill)

9.Slides often get cracked because someone uses the coarse


adjustment while on HIGH power. What should you do to avoid
cracking the slide?

High Power

bj

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