Name: ___________________________ Date: _____________Per.

___

Exploring the Compound Light Microscope

Part A: Parts of the Microscope

The following website should be quite helpful:
http://www.cas.muohio.edu/mbi-ws/microscopes/compoundscope.html
Click on “Parts”.
Click on each microscope part to find out where it is on the diagram below.

PARTS:

1. _________________ 8. ________________

2. _________________ 9. ________________

3. _________________ 10.________________

4. _________________ 11.________________

5. _________________ 12.________________

6. _________________ 13.________________

7. _________________ 14.________________

15.________________
OPEN A “NEW TAB” ON THE INTERNET AND TYPE IN THE WEB ADDRESS
BELOW.

Part B: Functions of Microscope Parts

The following website will be helpful to figure out some of the functions of the microscope parts:

http://www.quia.com/jg/509402.html

Play the flashcards and/or matching game to find the definitions to most of the parts below.

FUNCTIONS:

_____1. Eyepiece (ocular lens) a. attaches the eyepiece and body tube to the base

_____2. body tube b. supports the microscope

_____3. arm c. supports the eyepiece

_____4. nosepiece d. the larger knob used for focusing the specimen on the
scanning –power objective.
_____5. stage clips e. the smaller knob used to fine-tune the focus of your
specimen using the low and high-power objectives.

6. objective lenses f. adjustable dial that allows different amounts of light to shine
onto the stage

_____ Scanning-power objective g. stops the stage from rising up

_____ Low-power objective h. opening on the stage that allows light to pass through
_____ High-power objective i. the button that turns the microscope on and off.

_____7. stage stop j. where you look through to see the image of your specimen;
magnification of 10x.

_____8. aperture k. provides about 40x magnification. (shortest lens)

_____9. stage l. provides about 100x magnification.

_____10. coarse adjustment knob m. provides about 400x magnification. (longest lens)

_____11. diaphragm n. directs light upwards onto the slide.

_____12. light source o. where the slide is placed.

_____13. fine adjustment knob p. hold the slide in place.

_____14. on/off switch q. holds the scanning, low-power & high power objective lenses;
allows the lenses to rotate for viewing.
_____15. base r. connects the eyepiece and the objective lenses
OPEN A “NEW TAB” ON THE INTERNET AND TYPE IN THE WEB ADDRESS
BELOW. Go to the following website:

https://www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/microscope_use.html
Scroll down to “General Procedures” and answer the following questions.
1. What objective should you ALWAYS start and end with? _________________________

Why should you not remove slides on high power? _______________________________

2. What 3 steps should you do with your microscope when you are finished with it? (In other

words, how should you store it?) ____________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

3. How should you carry the microscope? _______________________________________

4. What is the difference between a Light microscope and an electron microscope?

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_______

Focusing Specimens
1. Always start with the ________________ power. Use the ____________ objective

knob to focus on image. Image may be small but you will not be able to find it on high

power without this step! Do not use _________ ________, try moving the slide around

until you find something.

2. Once you have focused on Scanning, switch to ________ power. Use the ________

knob SLOWLY to refocus. Again, if you haven’t focused on this level, you will not be able to

move to the next level.

3. Now switch to ________ power. At this point, ONLY use the ________ adjustment

knob to focus specimens.

If the specimen is too light or too dark, try adjusting the ____________________.

Drawing Specimens
1. Use _______________ - you can erase and shade areas.

2. All drawings should include clear and proper ________ . Drawings should be labeled with the

specimen ______________ and ____________________.

 3. Labels should be written on the _______________ of the circle. The circle indicates the viewing

field as seen through the _____________, specimens should be drawn to ________ - ie. If your

specimen takes up the whole viewing field, make sure your drawing reflects that.

Return to the 1st tab “Compound Microscope Parts”. Scroll to the bottom.

Click on “Magnification”.

Click on “Figuring Total Magnification”

Part E: Magnification
Calculate the Total Magnification for each objective lens. Then click on “Click here to see

image” and then click on “Side-By-Side Comparison Of Images” and draw each magnification

of Elodea in the appropriate circle below.

_______

_______

_______
Scroll down to the bottom.

Click on “Microscope Care” and answer the following questions.

Part D: Caring for the Microscope

Importance of care
1. Why do you need to know how to use the microscope?

_____________________________________________________________________________

2. What happens if I break a microscope?

_____________________________________________________________________________

3. How long will a microscope last if I take good care of it?

_____________________________________________________________________________

Care and Handling

4. How do I transport the microscope?

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

5. Why should you never touch the lenses with your fingers?

________________________________________________________________________________

What is the ONLY substance I will use to clean the glass? ______________________

Return to the 3rd tab “Microscope”.

Cleanup
1. Stores microscopes with the __________________ objective in place.

2. Wrap ___________ and ______________ microscopes.

3. Wash _____________ and cover slips in the sink and dry them, placing them back in the slide

boxes.

Troubleshooting
Occasionally you may have trouble with working your microscope,

1. Image is too dark!

a. Adjust the ______________, make sure light it on!

2. There’s a spot in my viewing field, even when I move the slide, the spot stays in the same place!

a. Your _______ is dirty. Use ________ _________, and only lens paper to carefully clean

the objective and eyepiece.

3. I can’t see anything under high power!

a. Remember the steps!!! If you can’t focus under _______________ and then ________

power, you won’t be able to focus anything under __________ power.

4. Only half of my viewing field is lit, it looks like there’s a half-moon in there!

a. You probably don’t have your __________________ fully clicked into place!

How to use the Microscope

Get microscope from Ms. Buchanan
a. Use TWO HANDS TO CARRY – One on arm and the other under the base.
b. Take off cover and plug in microscope to the front of your desk.
c. Carefully place the slide onto the stage using the stage clips.
d. Turn on the light.
2. Be sure that the SCANNING (small) OBJECTIVE LENS is in place (down), and then using the COARSE ADJUSTMENT
KNOB, move the stage up until the object comes into view.
a. Make sure that the object you are looking at is over the stage opening (aperture).
3. Once you can see the item, move the slide so that the item is in the center of your eyepiece view. Then use the FINE
ADJUSTMENT KNOB to focus your object.
4. To see the object at a higher power, make sure the part that you want to magnify is in the center of your eyepiece view,
then rotate the objectives until you hear a click and you have the LOW (medium) POWER OBJECTIVE in place. Use the
FINE ADJUSTMENT KNOB to focus the image.
5. To see the object at the highest power, again make sure that the part that you want to magnify is in the center of your
eyepiece view, then rotate the objectives until you hear a click and you have the HIGH (large) POWER OBJECTIVE in
place.
a. ONLY USE THE FINE ADJUSTMENT KNOB TO ADJUST YOUR VIEW.
6. To change or remove slides, turn the objective lenses so that the SCANNING (small) POWER OBJECTIVE is clicked in
place (down) and the stage is all the way down. And start at step #2.

Putting the Microscope Away

1. Remove the slide, clean it, and return it to where you got it from.
2. Turn the nosepiece so that the SCANNING POWER OBJECTIVE is in place (down).
3. Lower the stage as far as it will go down.
4. Turn the light off.
5. Lightly wrap the cord around the microscope base.
6. Have Ms. Buchanan check to make sure it is done correctly. Cover the microscope and carry it with 2 hands to the back
prep room.