Lab #2 – Microscope Introduction Lab
Goal: I will practice proper microscope techniques and care.
Follow the directions and complete each part below:
Part A – Getting to know your microscope
1. Examine your microscope and familiarize yourself with the parts we talked about in class. Locate the
numbers on the lenses. What magnification is written on each of them?
Eyepiece/
Ocular Lens
Low Power
Objective
Medium Power
Objective
High Power
Objective
Magnification
2. The total magnification is determined by the equation below:
Total magnification = objective lens x ocular lens
What is the total magnification for each objective on the nosepiece?
Low Power
Objective
Medium Power
Objective
High Power
Objective
Total Magnification
3. Examine the diaphragm with the microscope on. As you turn the wheel, the viewing field should
become lighter or darker. Gently and carefully tilt the microscope to view the diaphragm from
underneath. What is the purpose of the diaphragm?
4. Look into the eyepiece, turn it left and then right. There may be a line inside that moves as you twist,
this is the pointer. (If you don’t have one, find someone that does have one.) What do you think the
purpose of this line is?
Part B – Measuring the field of view
1. Set your microscope to low power.
2. Locate the transparent ruler and place it on your microscope stage.
3. Move the transparent ruler so that one of the lines is just visible along the field of view.
It should look like this on the stage→
and like this in the microscope→
4. With the microscope on low power bring the ruler into focus using the coarse focus.
5. Count the number of millimeter lines in the field of view. Fill in the blank below.
6. Repeat for medium and high power.
7. As you can see millimeters (mm) are too big a unit to use on high power. One micrometer (µm)
is 1000 millimeters (mm). Calculate the number of micrometers (µm) there are in the high
power field of view.
High Power Field of View
Measurement in mm
_______ mm
X
x

Micrometers (µm) per
Millimeter (mm)
1000 m
1mm
=
High Power Field of View
in Micrometers (µm)
=
__________
Part C – Preparing a wet mount slide.
1. Cut an ‘e’ out of the piece of paper provided.
2. Prepare a wet mount slide following the directions below.
Step 1 – Using an eyedropper, place a small amount of water on the slide.
Step 2 – Using tweezers, or fingers, carefully place the ‘e’ on to the water.
Step 3 – Gently touch the cover slip to the edge of the drop of water then lower the cover slip to
cover the ‘e’ and the water.
Step 4 – Place wet mount slide on microscope stage.
3. With the microscope under low power focus on the ‘e’
4. Gently have a partner move the slide to the right and then up and down while you look into the
microscope. What happens?
5. Still under low power, move the ‘e’ into the center of the field of view. Draw what you see.
6. Repeat for medium and high power. Don’t forget to focus. Draw what you see.
7. Locate the diaphragm. Move the dial and describe the changes in light intensity that you
notice.
Part D - Questions
1. Answer true or false to each of the statements
a. __________ On high power, you should use the coarse adjustment knob.
b. __________ The diaphragm determines how much light shines on the specimen.
c. __________ The low power objective has a greater magnification than the scanning objective.
d. __________ The fine focus knob moves the stage up and down.
e. __________ Images viewed in the microscope will appear upside down.
f. __________ If a slide is thick, only parts of the specimen may come into focus.
g. __________ The type of microscope you are using is a compound light microscope.
h. __________ For viewing, microscope slides should be placed on the objective.
i. __________ In order to switch from low to high power; you must rotate the revolving nosepiece.
j. __________ The total magnification of a microscope is determined by adding the ocular lens power to
the objective lens power.
k. _________ The pointer is used to position slides on the stage.
l. __________ The first step in viewing specimens is to use the scanning objective.
2. Label the parts of the microscope below.
Enrichment Activity
Answer the questions on the back of this page.
Medium Power
Enrichment Activity
High Power
Slide 1 Low Power
Slide 2 Low Power
Enrichment Activity
Slide 1 Low Power
Outcomes:
Slide 2 Low Power
Name:____________________
Science
4
4
4
4
4
3
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
209-2 estimate measurements
209-3 use instruments effectively and accurately for collecting data
209-6 use tools and apparatus safely
209-7 demonstrate a knowledge of WHMIS standards
211-3 work cooperatively with team
Math
4 3 2 1 D2 Metric conversions using SI units
Outcomes:
Name:____________________
Science
4
4
4
4
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
209-2 estimate measurements
209-3 use instruments effectively and accurately for collecting data
209-6 use tools and apparatus safely
209-7 demonstrate a knowledge of WHMIS standards
4 3 2 1 211-3 work cooperatively with team
Math
4 3 2 1 D2 Metric conversions using SI units
Outcomes:
Name:____________________
Science
4
4
4
4
4
3
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
209-2 estimate measurements
209-3 use instruments effectively and accurately for collecting data
209-6 use tools and apparatus safely
209-7 demonstrate a knowledge of WHMIS standards
211-3 work cooperatively with team
Math
4 3 2 1 D2 Metric conversions using SI units
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