Label the parts of the microscope using the following:

LP Objective lens MP Objective lens HP Objective lens Eyepiece lens

Arm Stage Fine focus knob Lamp
Rotating nose piece Iris/diaphragm Stage clips Barrel
Base Coarse focus knob

Match the part of the microscope to its function described below. (Use page 6 to help
you).


1. Source of light ____________________
2. Lens you look through, magnifies ____________________
3. First Lens to select, lowest magnification ____________________
4. Lenses that can be rotated into position to increase magnification ________________
5. Controls the amount of light passing up through the specimen ____________________
6. Stops the slide slipping around ____________________
7. Holds the slide ____________________
8. Holds the eyepiece lens in the correct position ____________________
9. Holds objective lenses; used to change lens ____________________
10. Moves the objective lens rapidly to bring image into focus ____________________
11. Moves the objective lens very slightly to sharpen the focus of the image __________
Using the Microscope

Steps to follow when using the microscope

1. Carry the microscope to your bench using 2 hands (the microscopes are very FRAGILE and
very EXPENSIVE!!).
2. If you are not near a window that lets lots of light in, plug in a light bulb and turn it on.
3. Tilt the mirror on the microscope so that when you are looking through the microscope, you
can see plenty of light being reflected from the window or bulb.
4. Place the object to be viewed on the stage and secure it if possible using the clips.
5. Turn the rotating nose piece so that the shortest objective lens is in place.
6. Turn the coarse focus knob until the objective lens is as close to the object as it can go.
7. Look through the eyepiece and turn the coarse focus knob until the object comes into view
and becomes focused.
8. Turn the rotating nose piece so that the medium sized objective lens is in place.
9. Look through the eyepiece and gently use the coarse focus knob to bring the object into
focus. You may also use the fine focus knob if needed.
10. Turn the rotating nose piece so that the longest objective lens is in place.
11. Look through the eyepiece and use only the fine focus knob to focus the object.
12. If required, draw the object, using a pencil.

The following steps are usually carried out when making a slide:

Place the specimen on the slide as flat as possible.
Place a drop of the required stain onto the specimen (stain helps us to see detail under
the microscope).
Place one edge of a coverslip on the slide next to the specimen and hold at a 45
0
angle.
Gently lower the coverslip onto the specimen until flat, so that no air bubbles remain
under the coverslip.








Making and Viewing a Plant Cell Slide

Aim: to look at plant cells under the microscope and find out about their structure.

You need: microscope, glass slide, coverslip, iodine, onion tissue, elodea

Method:

1. Get a sliver of onion and peel off the thin transparent skin from the inside of your scale.
The piece can be quite small a few millimetres square is fine.
2. Place the tissue onto a clean slide without any wrinkles.
3. Add a drop of iodine stain onto the onion tissue.
4. Carefully lower a coverslip onto the slide from an angle so as to avoid air bubbles.
5. Look at the slide under low power. You should see rows of tiny brick-like structures. Each
one of these is a cell.
6. Look at some of the cells under a higher power. Pick out one clear cell and, using a pencil,
draw it on the next page showing as much detail as you can. Draw the outline of a few cells
around it to show how they fit together.
7. Label as many structures as you can.

Total magnification
Work this out by multiplying the power of the eye piece lens by the objective lens.
So if the eye piece lens is x10 and the low power objective lens is x4,

total magnification = 10 x 4 = 40x
coverslip
specimen
slide

Onion Cells Viewed under _______ power (x____ magnification)












Why did you use the iodine?
_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________


Did you see chloroplasts? Why or why not?

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________


If you want to see chloroplasts, the pond weed elodea is good for this.

Place an elodea leaf on a slide with a drop of water and carefully put a coverslip on top.
Examine the leaf under high power and draw a few cells. Label the structures you can see
inside the cell.

Elodea Viewed under _______ power (x____ magnification)