The 

Microscope ­  Parts and Use 
Name:_______________________ 

Period:______ 
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.
 PLANT AND ANIMAL CELLS
CELLS

Cell Membrane

Lysosome Cytoplasm

Nucleus
Rough E.R.

Nucleolus
Smooth E.R.

Nuclear
Membrane

Ribosomes
Vacuole

Golgi Body
Mitochondria

Organelle Function
Cell Membrane A double layer that supports and protects the cell. Allows materials in and out.
Lysosome Contains digestive enzymes that destroy damaged organelles and invaders.
Cytoplasm Jelly-like fluid that surrounds and protects the organelles.
Nucleus The control center of the cell. Contains the DNA
Nuclear Membrane Surrounds the nucleus.
Nucleolus A round structure in the nucleus that makes ribosomes.
Vacuole Stores food and water.
Golgi Body Processes and packages materials for the cell.
Mitochondria The “Powerhouse”. Breaks down food to produce energy in the form of ATP.
Rough E.R. Builds and transports substances through the cell. Has ribosomes on it.
Smooth E.R. Builds and transports substances through the cell. Does not have ribosomes.
Ribosome Helps make protein for the cell.
 Cell Wall
Cytoplasm

Cell Membrane

Vacuole

Rough E.R.
Nucleus

Nucleolus
Smooth E.R.

Nuclear
Membrane
Ribosomes
Chloroplast

Golgi Body
Mitochondria

Organelle Function
Cell Membrane A double layer that supports and protects the cell. Allows materials in and out.
Lysosome Contains digestive enzymes that destroy damaged organelles and invaders.
Cytoplasm Jelly-like fluid that surrounds and protects the organelles.
Nucleus The control center of the cell. Contains the DNA
Nuclear Membrane Surrounds the nucleus.
Nucleolus A round structure in the nucleus that makes ribosomes.
Vacuole Stores food and water.
Golgi Body Processes and packages materials for the cell.
Mitochondria The “Powerhouse”. Breaks down food to produce energy in the form of ATP.
Rough E.R. Builds and transports substances through the cell. Has ribosomes on it.
Smooth E.R. Builds and transports substances through the cell. Does not have ribosomes.
Ribosome Helps make protein for the cell.
Cell Wall Gives shape and protection to plant cells.
Chloroplast Changes sunlight into sugar for plant cells. Contains a green pigment called chlorophyll.

What is the difference between plant and animal cells?

Name __________Wilmot Student _____________ Period _____
Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration Study Guide
1.1 Energy for Life
1. Vocabulary to know:
A. ATP energy-carrying molecule that cells use to power their
metabolic processes
B. Autotroph/ Producer organism that makes its own food

C. Cellular Respiration process in which cells break down glucose and make ATP for
energy

D. Energy ability to do work

E. Glucose simple carbohydrate with the chemical formula C6H12O6 that is

the nearly universal food for life
F. Heterotroph/ Consumer organism that consumes other organisms for food
G. Photosynthesis process of using the energy in sunlight to make food (glucose)

2. How do autotrophs and heterotrophs obtain their energy?

Auto make own food directly from sunlight
Hetero consume others for energy
Hetero depend on Auto
Hetero would die out without Auto
3. What is the ultimate source of all energy?
Sunlight
4. Recognize the components of an ADP and ATP molecule (refer to your packet).
Adenosine base, pentose sugar and the phosphate groups in the ATP molecule below.

Adenosine base
Phosphate groups:
ATP => 3 phosphate groups
ADP => 2 phosphate groups

Pentose sugar

5. Be able to explain how energy is released from ATP, what happens to release the energy?
Break chemical bond between 2 phosphate groups and reduce to ADP; released energy used for
biological processes of cells (active transport, movement within the cell)
 6. Known the equations for both photosynthesis and cellular respiration.
1. Photosynthesis: enzymes, chlorophyll

Organelle it happens in: __CHLOROPLASTS___

Stores energy Releases energy (Circle one)

2. Cellular Respiration:
C6H12O6 + 6O2 -------------- 6CO2 + 6H2O + energy
Organelle it happens in: __MITOCHONDRIA____
Stores energy Releases energy (Circle one)

7. Know how to read an equation and differentiate between reactants and products.
REACTANTS ----- PRODUCTS
1.2 Photosynthesis: Sugar as Food
8. Vocabulary to know:
H. Calvin cycle second stage of photosynthesis in which carbon atoms from
(Light-Independent carbon dioxide are combined, using the energy in ATP and
Reactions) NADPH, to make glucose

I. Chlorophyll green pigment in a chloroplast that absorbs sunlight in the

light reactions of photosynthesis

J. Chloroplasts Organelle in the cell in which the process of photosynthesis

takes place

K. Electron Transport Chain series of electron-transport molecules that pass high-energy

electrons from molecule to molecule and capture their energy
L. Light-Dependent reactions first stage of photosynthesis in which light energy from the
sun is captured and changed into chemical energy that is
stored in ATP and NADPH
M. Stoma Pores on the surface of leaves that allow water to be released
during transpiration

N. Stroma space outside the thylakoid membranes of a chloroplast

where the Calvin cycle of photosynthesis takes place
O. Thylakoid membrane membrane in a chloroplast where the light reactions of
photosynthesis occur

9. What does chlorophyll do?

Capture the sun’s energy
10. What wavelength colors does chlorophyll absorb and what wavelength colors does it reflect?
Red and blue absorbed; green reflected
11. Where do you find photosystems I & II?
In the thylakoid membrane; they resemble protein channels we studied in the cell membrane
12. What are the two stages of photosynthesis? Light Dependent Reaction, Calvin Cycle
13. Where do the light-dependent reactions take place? Thylakoids
 14. Where do the light-independent reactions (Calvin cycle or Dark Reactions) take place?
Stroma
15. Know all the reactants and products of the light-dependent reactions and the Calvin cycle.

Light –Dependent Reactions: Calvin Cycle:

Energy Source: _light______ Energy Source: ___ATP_________
Reactants: _H2O_____________ Reactants: __CO2____________
_NADP+__________ __NADPH_________
_ADP + P__________ __ATP____________
Products: __O2____________ Products: __Sugars__________
__NADPH________ __ NADP+_________
__ATP__________ __ ADP + P _______________

16. Know all the steps of the light-dependent reactions (refer to your packet; page 4).

1. Pigments (chlorophyll) in PSII and PSI absorb light

2. Water molecule is split=> O, H+ ions, and 2 e-
3. H+ create electrochemical gradient
4. e- move from PSII to PSI along electron transport chain
5. NADP+ converted to NADPH
6. e- re-energized
7. ADP converted into ATP in ATP synthase
8. ATP and NADPH go to Calvin cycle as reactants to provide an energy source
1. The gas Carbon Dioxide is used in the Calvin Cycle to make the sugar Glucose.
2. CO2 enters the cycle and is linked by the enzyme to a 5 Carbon sugar called _______RuBP________.
This produces an unstable 6 molecule Carbon molecule that very quickly splits into 2 3-Carbon
molecules called _____PGA__________.
a. Chemical work is then done by ATP and NADPH. During this process, 2 phosphate molecules
are released and 2 molecules of _____PGAL____ are formed.
b. Most PGAL is converted back to RuBP to keep the Calvin cycle going
c. Some PGAL leaves the Calvin Cycle and is used to make other organic compounds including
amino acids, lipids, and carbohydrates
d. PGAL serves as the starting material for the synthesis of glucose and fructose
3.

4. The energy for the Calvin cycle is ___ATP___ and ___NADPH__ made during the light reactions.
5. Most plants on Earth (80%) are known as __C3__ plants.
6. Know the three main factors that can affect the rate of photosynthesis. Temperature, Light, Water
7. Most plants on Earth (80%) are known as __C3__ plants.

8. C4 plants fix CO2 into 4-Carbon Compounds during the hottest part of the day when their stomata are
partially closed

a. C4 plants include corn, sugar cane and crabgrass

9. CAM plants include cactus & pineapples

a. CAM plants open their stomata at night and close during the day so CO2 is fixed at night

b. During the day, the CO2 is released from these compounds and enters the Calvin Cycle.