Microscope Vocab

ocular lens

Lens you look through

Objective lenses

Provide different levels of magnification 

Revolving nosepiece

Holds and rotates the objective lenses 

Stage

Supports the slide

mechanical stage

Holds and moves the slide 

Condenser

Focuses light onto the specimen

Iris diaphragm

Controls the amount of light reaching the specimen 

Light source

Provides light for viewing the specimen

Coarse adjustment

Moves the objective/stage significantly for initial focusing

Fine adjustment

Makes small focusing adjustments 

Arm

Supports the upper portion of the microscope 

Base

Supports the microscope