Magnification

Eyepiece

4x

10x

Scanning
Low
Power

100x

10x

High
Power

Total
Magnification

10x

MAGNIFICATION
Your microscope has _____ magnifications: __________, _______ and
_________. The magnification is written on each ______________ ______.
In addition to this, the __________ also has a magnification. To calculate the
___________ magnification, ___________ the __________ by the __________
_________ magnification.
Total Magnification = __________ x ______________ ______

Lens

Magnification

Eyepiece

Scanning

4x

10x

Low Power

10x

High Power

Total Magnification

100x
10x

Microscope Functions
DIRECTIONS: In the boxes below, describe what each part of the microscope does as you view the
prepared slides from Mrs. Grissom.

SAFETY ISSUE: Please be careful when moving the OBJECTIVE LENSES, if you scratch the slide
with them they can be ruined!

Names of Microscope Parts

Name_______________________

Introduction to the Light Microscope

1. Examine your microscope. Familiarize yourself with the parts of the microscope.
The magnification written on the ocular lens (eyepiece) is ______
The magnification of:

scanning objective = _____ x

low power objective =______x
high power objective =______x

2. The total magnification using the lenses can be determined by multiplying the
objective lens with the eyepiece.
What is the total magnification of an item viewed with the:
SCANNING = _______ LOW POWER =_____ HIGH POWER =_______
3a. Examine the diaphragm (underneath the stage). How many different sized holes
are there? __________
Sketch what the diaphragm looks like.

3b. Look through the eyepiece while turning the diaphragm. Explain what changes and
how.

____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Place the "letter e" on the stage so that the letter is over the hole and is right side up.
Use the scanning objective to view the letter and use the coarse knob to focus.
4a. How does the letter e look as seen through the microscope differ from the way an
e normally looks? ______________________________________________________

____________________________________________________
4b. Have your partner move the letter e to to the left while you view it through the
lens. Which direction does the e appear to move to you?_______________________
What about when your partner moves the letter e to the right? _______________
When your partner moves the letter e upward?____________________________
When your partner moves the letter e downward? _________________________

4c. Describe how the image is transformed by the microscope.

______________________________________________________________________
5. Choose 2 specimens from the boxes of prepared slides. Use the circles below to
sketch your specimens under SCANNING and LOW power. You may practice focusing
with the high power, but you do not need to sketch it. Label your specimens from the
name written on the slide.
Specimen 1____________________

Specimen 2 __________________

Scanning Power

Scanning Power

Low Power

Low Power

Use your observations to help you answer the following questions:

6. Looking at one of the prepared slides, how does the image change as the diaphragm
is turned? _____________________________________________________________
7. Put a writing utensil on the stage and look at it using the scanning lens. Why is it
important that objects viewed under this microscope are thin?
______________________________________________________________________
8. Suppose you have found and focused on your object using your scanning lens, but
when you switch to low power, you see nothing. What may have happened and how
would you correct this situation?

____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________

9. Does the highest power lens give you the best view of every object? Why or why not?
______________________________________________________________________

Answer true or false to each of the statements

__________ The diaphragm determines how much light shines on the specimen.
__________ The low power objective has a greater magnification than the scanning objective.
__________ The coarse adjustment knob moves the stage up and down.
__________ Images viewed in the microscope will appear upside down.
__________ For viewing, microscope slides should be placed on the objective.
__________ The total magnification of a microscope is determined by adding the ocular lens
power to the objective lens power.

This lab is worth 10 points which will be broken down as follows:

6 points Completion
2 points Magnification calculations done correctly
2 points Correct answers for true or false questions