HS BIO: Microscope Structure/Function

eyepiece (ocular lens)

-the part (lens) that you look through with your eye that connects to the other objectives (10x magnification)

low power objective

-the yellow-labeled lens for magnification (10x)

scanning power objective

-the red-labeled lens for magnification (4x)

high power objective

-the blue-labeled lens for magnification (40x)*

*NEVER use the course adjustment when using this lens as you could scratch, crack, or damage the slides and/or the lens of the microscope

stage

-slides are placed on this part of the microscope
(supports the specimen being viewed)

light source

-sends light up through the diaphragm and through the slide for viewing

arm

-support; used to transport the microscope safely

coarse adjustment knob

-the larger knob that moves the stage up and down to focus the specimen*

*NEVER use the course adjustment when using this lens as you could scratch, crack, or damage the slides and/or the lens of the microscope

fine adjustment knob

-the smaller knob that finely "tunes" to focus the specimen

stage clips

-adjustable clips used to keep the slide in place on the stage

revolving nose piece

-allows for quick changes of objectives in the rotation of lenses

base

-the bottom of the microscope; used to transport the microscope safely

diaphragm

-used to vary the amount of light passing through the slide; if your only seeing darkness under the 'scope you may need to adjust the amount of light / turn the diaphragm

body tube

-reflects light up to the viewer's eye; support of the microscope

total magnification

-the total power of a microscope, found by multiplying the power of the eyepiece (10x) by the power of the objective lens (e.g. 4x, 10x, or 40x)

slide

-the rectangular glass plate on which the specimen is mounted and/or preserved on

cover slip

-the thin flat piece of transparent material (plastic or glass), usually square or rectangular, that is placed over objects for viewing with a microscope.

specimen

-sample that is prepared to be viewed

400x

-the total magnification of a 10x eyepiece lens coupled with the high power 40 objective lens

field-of-view

-the view when you look down a microscope, and what is observed within the circle

Anton van Leeuwenhoek

-made his discovery by using a simple microscope to look at tiny drops of water magnified 266 times to see tiny organisms or what he referred to as "animalcules"

Robert Hooke

-the inventor that made a compound microscope and was the first to view and name the term "cells" in objects like cork

simple microscope

-a microscope with only 1 lens. For example, jewelry eyepieces, pocket magnifiers, and reading glasses

compound microscope

-a microscope with two or more objective lenses (e.g. 4x, 10x, 40x, etc.)

lens paper

-a special nonabrasive material used to clean optical lenses