EXERCISE NO.

1
THE COMPOUND MICROSCOPE

I. OBJECTIVES
II. PROCEDURES

III. ILLUSTRATIONS
A. Draw and label the parts of the compound microscope you’ve set as a reference for
this activity. (use the other sheet of
paper for this part of the activity).

PARTS OF MICROSCOPE

IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

1. What are the mechanical, magnifying, and illuminating parts of the microscope?
What are the uses of each?

Answers: Mechanical Parts

Draw tube - holds the eyepiece
Body Tube - passage way of light; holds draw tube and revolving nose piece

Coarse Adjustment Knob - for initial focusing; for raising and lowering the objectives

Fine Adjustment Knob - for final focusing

Arm - support the upper part and connects it ti the lower part

Dust shield - protects the objectives from dust as well as the specimen under study

Revolving nose piece - for switching the objectives

Mechanical screws - adjust the slide from left side to right side or from backward to
forward

Stage clip - used to hold or support the glass slide and put specimen in place

Central hole - allows light to pass through directly to the specimen

Inclination joint - facilitate tilting

Pillar - connects upper part from the base.

Base - supports the entire microscope

Mirror rack - holds the mirror

Sub-stage - under the stage

Stage - platform where the slide is placed

Illuminating Parts

Mirror - provides light that reflects to the specimen

Abbe condenser - concentrates light

Magnifying Parts

Ocular/Eyepiece - the lens where one look/peep to magnify the specimen

(magnification power: 10x or 15x)

Objectives - to magnify the specimen greatly.

2. When are the plain and concave surfaces of the mirror used?

Answer:
 Concave mirrors are placed at the bottom of microscopes to catch light.
Microscope mirrors can be turned in any direction; it is important not to turn the
microscope mirror towards the sun or other sources of intense light, as the mirror
amplifies the light.

3. What objective is used when observing fresh specimens? fixed specimens?

Answer:
The choice of objective does not depend on whether your sample is fixed or
fresh, but on how high a mag. you need to go to to observe whatever it is you
need to see.Generally, fixed and stained samples are easier to visualise at high
mag., as you have labelled whatever it is you are looking for (specific organelle,
etc.) But you can go just as high with fresh samples (like they do in some
videomicroscopy experiments)
4. Name the different types of microscope and the principles involved with their
functions.

Answer:

• Simple Microscope- used to get a magnified view of the samples, it is widely

used in microbiology. Light from the light source is made to pass through a thin
object which is transparent.

• Compound Microscope-achieves higher levels of magnification than a stereo

or low power microscope. It is used to view smaller specimens such as cell structures
which cannot be seen at lower levels of magnification.

• Stereo Microscope-enable 3D viewing of specimens visible to the naked eye.

They are commonly known as Low Power or Dissecting Microscopes.
• Confocal Microscope-They provide a high-resolution image with all areas in
focus throughout the field of view, even for a sample having dents and protrusions on
the surface.

• Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) -scans a focused electron beam over a

surface to create an image. The electrons in the beam interact with the sample,
producing various signals that can be used to obtain information about the surface
topography and composition

• Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) - is used to view thin specimens

(tissue sections, molecules, etc) through which electrons can pass generating a
projection image.

5. What are the steps in slide-specimen preparation before using it under the
microscope?

Answer:
 The steps in slide-specimen preparation before using it under the microscope first
place a drop of fluid in the center of the slide, second position sample
on liquid, using tweezers, third at an angle, place one side of the cover slip against
the slide making contact with outer edge of the liquid drop, fourth lower the cover
slowly, avoiding air bubbles and lastly remove excess water with the paper towel.

CONCLUSION

And I therefore conclude that microscope helps us a lot in science. It helps us see
microorganisms that cannot be seen by our naked eye.

EXERCISE NO. 2

FAMILIARIZATION WITH EQUIPMENT IN MICROBIOLOGY AND

PARASITOLOGY

I. OBJECTIVES
II. PROCEDURES
III. ILLUSTRATIONS AND US
Petri dish

Function: Petri dishes are used to support growth of microorganisms such

as bacteria. Often used in microbiology. Depending on what you culture
there is an appropriate way to streak each plate so you can view it under a
microscope after incubation. Then you can identify what said organism is
so doctors can treat the patient with medications.
Uses: To culture cells

Inoculating loop
Function: The Inoculating Loop, also known as an inoculation rod or
microjet, is a simple tool used mainly by microbiologists to recover a
inoculum from a culture of microorganisms.

Used: The inoculating loop is used for the transfer of liquid or solid
bacterial cultures.

Inoculating needle

Function: This inoculating needle has a plastic handle with

nichrome wire loop to transfer bacteria from a culture to a petri dish.

Used: Inoculating needle is used to streak the microbial sample on

petri dish containing growth medium.

Staining jar
Function: Staining jars are used to stain specimens such as bacteria,
cells and tissues on microscope slides. Without proper staining, most
specimens are just a clear substance not easy to observe and study.

Erlenmeyer flask

Function: Erlenmeyer flasks are used to mix chemicals. We do not

rely on the graduated markings on the side of the flask. You swirl
the flask gently to mix the contents. Graduated cylinders are used to
measure precise volumes of liquids.

Used: For mixing

 Hanging drop slides

Function: In hanging drop technique, a drop from a cell suspension, culture, or

liquid specimen is placed to a cover slip inverted over a hollow slide.

Used: A hanging drop slide is a type of microscopic preparation used to observe

motility of bacteria.
 Fermentation tube/ Durham tube

Function: It traps some of the gas produced by some organisms.

Gas production (or not) helps to identify the organism.

Used: Durham tubes are mainly used in microbiology to detect gas

produced by micro organisms. These special tubes are placed
upside down in bigger test tubes.

Beaker

Function: The purpose of a beaker is to hold various types of

liquids.
Used: Beakers are often used to hold, mix, and heat reagents.
Most have a small lip for pouring liquids. Test tubes, which are
relatively small cylindrical vessels, are also used to store, heat, and
mix chemicals.
 Staining jar

Function: Staining jars are used to stain specimens such as bacteria,

cells and tissues on microscope slides. Without proper staining, most
specimens are just a clear substance not easy to observe and study.

Staining rack

Function: Staining rack is used to hold many glass slides at a time. By

putting slides on a staining rack, you can pour dye simultaneously and it
will help to reduce extra dye or stain.

Used: To hold the glass glides while staining them.

 Spatula

Function: Spatula is used to take and handle small quantities of solid

chemicals.

Used: Spatulas are used for measuring solids, moving objects and
scraping material out of beakers.

Droppers

Function: Delivers drops of liquid one at time.

Used: Used to transfer small amounts of liquid.

 Stirring rod

Function: The primary function of a stirring rod is to stir solutions by hand.

Used: Stirring rods are used to decant or pour liquids slowly

Centrifuge tubes

Function: Centrifuge tubes are cylindrical shaped calibrated plastic or glass

containers. They are designed to fit into the centrifuge slots for the analysis and
separation of various materials.

Used: Centrifuge tubes are used in laboratory centrifuges, machines that spin samples
in order to separate solids out of liquid chemical solutions.
 Applicator sticks

Function: These multi-purpose sticks are ideal for specimen transfer use, mixing
rods.

Used: Used for routine spot test sampling and drop transfers, or wherever a handy,
disposable mixing aid is required.

Autoclave

Function: Autoclaves provide a physical method for disinfection and sterilization.

They work with a combination of steam, pressure and time.

Used: To decontaminate certain biological waste and sterilize media, instruments and
lab ware.
 Test tubes with screw

Function: Test tubes are widely used by chemists to handle chemicals,

especially for qualitative experiments and assays.

Used:The screw caps are designed to be leak-tight allowing the tubes to

be used for storage or transport.

Refrigerator

Function: Refrigerator to maintain, in a controlled environment

(refrigerated space), various fluids and substances, so that they are kept
in good condition the lower the temperature, the lower chemical and
biological activity.
Used: Laboratory refrigerators are used to cool samples or specimens for
preservation.
 Alcohol lamp

Function: Alcohol lamp functions for the sterilization process.

Used: An alcohol lamp is used for heating, sterilization, and
combustion in a laboratory.

Incubator

Function: An incubator provides conditions for optimal growth of

microbiology cultures. Natural or forced air convection maintains a
constant.
Used: Incubators are used for the growth and storage of bacterial
cultures.
 Test tube rack

Function: The test tube rack is an apparatus used in a laboratory to hold

and transport test tubes during experiments or while examining cultures.
Used: They are most commonly used when various different solutions
are needed to work with simultaneously, for safety reasons, for safe
storage of test tubes, and to ease the transport of multiple tubes.

Centrifuge

Function: A centrifuge is a laboratory device that is used for the

separation of fluids, gas or liquid, based on density.
Used: Centrifugation is a technique used for the separation of particles
from a solution according to their size, shape, density, viscosity of the
medium and rotor speed.
 IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
1. What are the advantage of knowing the different equipment/ apparatuses used in
microbiology and parasitology?
Answer:

Different apparatus has different functions.Such as glass rod,test tube,test tube

holder,measure glass,so you must grasp the use of every apparatus,then you can use
them rightly,and the experiment will go successfully.

V. CONCLUSIONS

It is important to always use the various equipment/apparatus with care and

precaution. If you are not used to handling them, you should seek the advice of an
experienced laboratory handler because you can seriously injure yourself. If you
misuse the equipment, your experiments will provide you with the incorrect
information and measurements as we.