1. Microscopes and Other Tools

2. DISSECTING MICROSCOPE
Allows you to see the surface of the specimen
Light reflects off the surface of specimen
Organisms can be alive
Image is in color
Seen in 3-D
Not for viewing cells

3. COMPOUND MICROSCOPE Used to view cells
Magnification up to 1500 X (Most up to 400X)
Image appears upside down and backwards
We can look at living cells and small organisms
Specimen must be cut very thin because light must shine through

4. SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE
Allows you to see surface of specimen
Specimen is covered in a thin layer of gold which allows electrons to “bounce off”
Viewed in a vacuum (all air is removed)
Specimen is NOT alive
Seen in black and white
and in 3D

7. PHASE CONTRAST MICROSCOPE
Widely used for examining such specimens as biological tissues.
Enhances contrasts of transparent and colorless objects
Able to show parts in a cell or bacteria, which would be very difficult to see in an ordinary light microscope.
Enables viewer to see in 3D

8. CENTRIFUGE Spins test tubes at a very high rotation speed
Separates out the parts of the liquid by density
Ex. Separates blood into RBC, WBC, Plasma and Platelets

9. ULTRACENTRIFUGE
Separates all of the organelles in a cell

10. GEL ELECTROPHORESIS Used to analyze DNA
DNA is cut into pieces and “banding pattern” is seen
Pieces of DNA move through an “electric” field