Guidelines for Using a Microscope Microscope Safety Always

Guidelines for Using a Microscope

Microscope Safety • Always carry with two hands • Only use lens paper for cleaning • Do not force knobs • Always store covered • Keep objects clear of desks and cords

Magnification • Your microscope has 3 magnifications: • Scanning • Low power • High power • Each objective will have the magnification written on it • The ocular lens also has magnification, written as 10 x Magnification Ocular Lens Total Magnification Scanning 4 x 10 x 40 x Low Power 10 x 100 x High Power 40 x 10 x 400 x

How to use your light microscope 1. Plug in and turn light on 2. ALWAYS start with the lowest objective • Odds are you can see something through the lens, verrrry blurrrrry 3. Use the course knob to locate and focus image 4. DO NOT use lens clips to move slide, it will scratch 5. Once focused – move to low power and use the course knob to focus again 6. Now move to the highest power and use the fine knob to focus again

Drawing Specimens • Use pencil – you can erase and shade • All drawings should be clear and include specimen label and magnification • Specimens should be drawn to scale. • If specimen takes up full viewing field, your drawing should reflect that

Making a wet mount slide 1. Gather a thin piece of whatever your specimen is. If your specimen is too thick your cover slip will float on top 2. Place one drop of water directly on the specimen. If there is too much water the cover slip will move and the specimen might float away! 3. Place the cover slip at a 45 degree angle with one edge touching the water drop then gently let go

Clean-Up! • Store microscope on lowest objective • Wrap cords and cover microscopes • Maybe check one more time to make sure you didn’t leave any slides • Wash and dry slides and cover slips in your sink and place back into lab bucket • Please do not drop cover slips into the sink, they clog the drains • Place the microscope back into the cabinet

Troubleshooting 1. My image is too dark! • Adjust the diaphragm, make sure your light is on 2. There is a spot in my viewing field, even when I move the slide it is still there! • Your lens is dirty. Use lens paper to carefully clean the objective and ocular lens 3. I cant see anything in high power! • Remember your steps! Focus first in the lowest power and move up from there 4. Only half my viewing field is lit, it looks like there is a half-moon there! • You probably don’t have your objective clicked fully into place

First create an E slide!

• http: //www. sciencespot. net/Pages/kdzbio. html