Microscope Lab: Cork and Onion Cells
Purpose:
To examine cork and onion skins under the microscope
Materials:
cork
microscope
onion skin
iodine stain
slides
cover slips
Procedures:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Obtain a thin slice of cork cells from Mr. Zim
Put this on a slide, and view under low power.
Each layer of an onion is separated by a very thin layer or skin
Obtain an onion skin leaf from Mr. Zim.
Prepare a wet mount slide of the onion skin. View under low power.
Obtain a drop of iodine from Mr. Zim to stain your onion slide. Re-examine your
sample.
7. Record your observations.
Observations:
What did the cord cell look like?
What did the onion cell look like?
Analysis:
Were you able to recognize any of the following parts?
Cell Wall
Cell Membrane
Nucleus
Cytoplasm
Microscope Lab: Live Elodea Plant
Purpose:
To examine live cells of plants. Plants contain chlorophyll. The
chlorophyll is located in structures inside the cell called chloroplasts.
Question:
1. What is the name of the process that allows plants to make their
own food?
2. What does the term transparent mean?
3. What does the term translucent mean?
Materials:
Slides, cover slip, dropper, tweezers, Elodea plants (aka Anacharis)
Procedures:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The tip of the elodea plant is the most transparent.
Select a suitable leaf from the elodea plant and place it on the slide.
Using the proper technique create a wet mount slide.
Examine your slide under both high and lower power.
Eventually you may see the chloroplasts moving inside the cytoplasm of the cell.
Observations:
What color do the chloroplasts appear to be?
membrane
cytoplasm
vacuole
chloroplast
Cell Wall
Nucleus (if visible)
Analysis:
1. What do the vacuoles appear to be?
2. Why do you think is significant about the color of chloroplasts when compared
with the color of the elodea plant. Is there any correlation (connection) between
the two?
SALT, SUGAR, SAND and the MICROSCOPE
Purpose:
To compare the crystalline structures of salt, sugar, and sand using a
microsope.
Question:
Materials:
What does dissolving mean?
What does cohesion mean?
sand, salt, sugar, slides, cover slip, dropper, water
Procedures:
1. Place a few crystals of salt on a slide and examine it under low power.
2. Try moving the diaphragm of microscope to vary the light intensity.
3. Record a drawing of your observation for the dry salt in your data section
4. THIS IS DIFFICULT: We want to try to observe salt dissolving in water.
 Place a cover slip over a few salt crystals.
 Drop a few drops of water on the side of the cover slip
 Because of cohesion the water will gradually slide under the cover slip.
 Observe what happens as the water and salt mix. Record your observations.
5. Repeat with the sugar and the salt.
Data:
Salt (dry)
Salt (wet)
Sugar (dry)
Sugar (wet)
Sand (dry)
Sand (wet)
Analysis:
1. Explain the differences or similarities in the shapes of the salt, sugar, and sand
when they are dry. Your paragraph should be at least 5 sentences.
2. Explain the difference or similarities of what happens to the salt, sugar and sand
when they are mixed with water. This paragraph should be at least 5 sentences.
Microscope Lab: Working with Textiles
Purpose:
To compare a variety of textile fibers using a microscope
Question:
1. What does textile mean?
Materials:
A variety of textile fibers: cotton, wool, silk, polyester, rayon, linen, etc.
Microscope, tweezers, slides, cover clips, water, straight pins, dropper
Procedures:
1. Obtain the various textile samples.
2. Each sample will need its own slide. You may share slides with other groups.
3. To prepare the slide: Use the tweezers if necessary to hold the textile fiber on
the slide.
4. Using a tweezers, pin, or similar objects: try to separate the fibers of your
sample.
5. Using the dropped add a drop of water to your sample and cover with the slip.
6. Observe each material under low and high power; and draw what you observe.
Data:
Low Power
High Power
Sample 1
Sample 2
Sample 2
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