Scribd
Upload
32 views10 pages

BioI.L5 Using The Micrometer and Microscope

The document provides instructions for using a microscope to measure and draw cells. Key steps include identifying microscope parts, using different lenses to focus on samples, measuring the field of view at different magnifications using a graticule ruler slide, and drawing cells seen under the microscope with a scale bar.

Uploaded by

Arjun Dube
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
32 views10 pages

BioI.L5 Using The Micrometer and Microscope

The document provides instructions for using a microscope to measure and draw cells. Key steps include identifying microscope parts, using different lenses to focus on samples, measuring the field of view at different magnifications using a graticule ruler slide, and drawing cells seen under the microscope with a scale bar.

Uploaded by

Arjun Dube
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 10

Measuring and drawing cells.

I will be able to –
- Identify the parts of the microscope.
- Use the microscope safely and properly
- Find the field of view on low medium and high power using a graticule ruler slide
- Observe a sample on a slide
- Draw a sample on a slide using power conventions.

We will use a special slide called a micrometer to measure the field of view:
How to use a microscope
1. Always start on the low power (red – 40X) lens.

2. Move the stage all the way up using the course adjustment knob.

3. make sure you center the slide.

4. Once you have focused and can clearly see the sample, move to the yellow objective lens.
MAKE SURE YOU ARE WATCHING FROM THE SIDE AS YOU SWITH TO BE CERTAIN IT WILL NOT
TOUCH THE SLIDE.

5. MAKE SURE YOU ONLYL USE THE FINE ADJUSTMENT KNOB FOR MEDIUM AND HIGH POWER
OJBECTIVE LENS.

6. Using only the fine adjustment know, focus on your sample. If you can’t focus, go back to low
power, focus again, and make sure the sample is centered.

7. Once you have focused on the medium power lens, repeat step 3 going to the high power lens.
Remember – ONLY USE THE FINE ADJUSTMENT KNOW WITH THE MEDIUM AND HIGH POWER
LENSES
Measuring Field of View at Low Power

8. Here is the graticule/ruler at low power (red – 40X)

The entire ruler is 1 mm

The longest lines are 0.1 mm (100


micrometers)

The smallest lines are 0.01mm (10


micrometers)

9. As it does not span the entire field of view, I need to make an estimate of the size.
- It is not that precise, but, it is the best we can do here.
- I would estimate it is about 4 times as wide as my scale on the slide.

I also used a ruler and can see the estimate is about right.
Measuring Field of View at Medium Power:

10. Once it is in focus, I can switch to the medium power/yellow lens.

The entire ruler is 1 mm

The longest lines are 0.1 mm (100


micrometers)

The smallest lines are 0.01mm (10


micrometers)

11. On the medium, I get a much better estimate.


- It still doesn’t cover the whole field of view, so, I can’t do it to the .01 mm, yet, I can get it to
the .5 mm.
- I would say my field of view is 0.15 mm.

I checked with a ruler and got about the same distance.


Measuring the Field of View on High Power

12. Once it is in focus, I can switch to the high power (400X blue lens).

The entire ruler is 1 mm

The longest lines are 0.1 mm (100


micrometers)

The smallest lines are 0.01mm (10


micrometers)

13. We can see why we need the special slide as this is less than a mm – we would not be able to
see the distance using the ruler.
- I would say that my field of view is about 23 of the small lines, so, about 23 μm.
14. Here is the low power (red lens/40X) view of the onion root tip. The cells are too small at this
point and are hard to see.
15. When I switch to medium power – I can see more detail and the cells, but, they are still very
small.
- Cells are about 10 to 30 μm.
16. High power is where we can really see cells

- I have outlined a cell in blue. I have coloured in the nucleus.


- I have also outlined a different type of cell in orange.
- I count about 6 cells in my field of view (in black) –
- In step 13 I found that my field of view was 23 μm.

17. To calculate the size of a the cells I will draw, I will divide the Field of View by the number of
cells.

23 μm/6 cells = 3.8 μm


Drawing cells. I will pick 1 to 3 cells and draw them exactly as they are – not my impression of them.

Drawing 1: Onion Mitosis Root Tip Allium sp. l.s viewed under 400X
magnification

To calculate the scale bar

1. Measure the image size of ONE cell (what you drew) in MM. convert to μm.

2. Divide this number by your estimate of the actual size of a cell from step ## to give you the
magnification.

3. Draw a scale bar in the corner of the image and measure its length in mm (convert to μm)

4. Find the ACTUAL SIZE of the scale bar using the equation Actual = Image/Magnification.

a. The image size is from step 3 in μm


b. The magnification is from step 2

5. Write you number below the scale bar with the units (μm)
Rubric for drawing cells

I will look at:

1. Accurate representation of the cell.


2. Clear accurate title
3. Properly labelled and neatness

You might also like