Optical Microscope Required Practical

Vocabulary flashcards detailing optical microscope parts, operation steps, magnification calculations, and cell structure visibility based on the lecture notes.

Stage

The central platform of an optical microscope where the microscope slide is placed and held in position with clips.

Mirror

A feature located beneath the stage on some optical microscopes (instead of a lamp) used to reflect light upwards through the microscope slide.

Objective Lenses

A set of lenses located above the stage, typically offering magnifications of $4\times$, $10\times$, or $40\times$.

Eyepiece Lens

The lens located inside the top eyepiece of a microscope, which typically has a magnification of $10\times$.

Coarse Focusing Dial

A dial turned to move the objective lens or stage in larger increments to adjust distance and bring cells into basic focus.

Fine Focusing Dial

A dial used after the coarse focusing dial to make small adjustments and bring cells into a clear focus.

Total Magnification Formula

Calculated by multiplying the magnification of the eyepiece lens by the magnification of the objective lens (for example, $10 \times 4 = 40\times$).

Visible Animal Cell Structures

Structures observable under an optical microscope, including the nucleus, cytoplasm, cell membrane, and potentially tiny flecks of mitochondria, but excluding ribosomes.

Visible Plant Cell Structures

Structures observable under a light microscope, including the cell wall, cytoplasm, nucleus, and potentially the vacuole and chloroplasts.

Magnification Scale Bar

A line drawn on a cell diagram to show scale, determined by placing a clear plastic ruler over the stage to measure the diameter of the field of view in millimeters.