Laboratory 1
Light Microscope
Eyepiece Contains a magnifying lens that you look through.
Body Tube Connects the eyepiece to the revolving nosepiece.
Revolving Nosepiece Holds and turns objectives into viewing position.
High Power Objective Contains the lens with the most magnification.
Low Power Objective Contains the lens with the least magnification.
Arm Supports the body tube.
Stage Platform used to support the microscope slide.
Stage Clips Holds the slide in place on the stage.
Diaphragm Regulates the amount of light entering the body tube.
Coarse Adjustment Focuses the image under LOW POWER only!
Fine Adjustment Sharpens the image under high or low magnification. “Fine Tunes” the image!
Light Source Allows light to reflect upward through the diaphragm, the specimen and the lenses.
Base Provides support for the microscope.
Condenser The substage condenser gathers light from the microscope light source and concentrates it into a cone of light that illuminates the specimen with uniform intensity over the entire viewfield. It is critical that the condenser light cone be properly adjusted to optimize the intensity and angle of light entering the objective front lens.
Steps in Focusing Microscope 1. Select low power objective and make sure the stage is lowered to its bottom position. 2. Place the slide on the stage. 3. Secure the slide with the stage clips. 4. While looking at the stage, use the coarse adjustment knob to move the stage up to its highest position. 5. Focus with the COARSE ADJUSTMENT KNOB.
Steps in Focusing Microscope 6. Continue to focus with the FINE ADJUSTMENT KNOB. 7. After you have the specimen in a clear focus, change to the high power objective. 8. Focus with the FINE ADJUSTMENT KNOB ONLY!!! ***NEVER EVER EVER EVER USE THE COARSE ADJUSTMENT KNOB WHEN USING THE HIGH POWER OBJECTIVE!!!
Steps in Focusing Microscope When you are done viewing your specimen… 9. Switch back to the low power objective. 10. Make sure stage is lowered to its bottom position again. 11. Remove the slide from the stage.
Making A Wet Mount Slide… 1. Clean the slide and cover slip if needed. 2. Place a small drop of water in the center of the slide. 3. Center the specimen in the water. 4. Place the end of a probe in the water.
Making a Wet Mount Slide… 5. Gently drop the cover slip onto the probe. 6. Slowly drag the probe through the water and out from under the cover slip. 7. Check for air bubbles. 8. Clean the slide and cover slip when you are finished.
Assignment Complete Exercise 1 Answer all questions Do all sketches View pond water, insect wing and petri dish items. Complete Exercise 2 Through page 18, Drawings: epithelial cell, sea star egg, liver cells, answer all questions.