Exercise 1: Microscopy: Observing Microorganisms

microscopy

the technical field of using microscopes to view subjects too small to be seen with the naked eye

microscope

an instrument that makes an enlarged image of a small object, thus revealing details too small to be seen by the unaided eye

spherical; rod; spiral

three basic shapes of bacteria

coccus

spherical bacteria

bacillus

rod-shaped bacteria

vibrio; spirillum; spirochete

spiral-shaped bacteria

multicellular/filamentous

mold-type microscopic fungi

unicellular/non-filamentous

yeast-type microscopic fungi

Bacillus subtilis

rod-shaped; absent nucleus; prokaryote; sporing bacilli (streptobacilli and diplobacilli)

Staphylococcus aureus

spherical; absent nucleus; prokaryote; staphylococci

Escherichia coli

rod-shaped; absent nucleus; prokaryote; coco-bacilli

Mycobacterium tuberculosis

rod-shaped; absent nucleus; prokaryote; non-sporing bacilli (slipping and snapping)

Spirillum minus

spiral; absent nucleus; prokaryote; spirillum

Treponema pallidum

spiral; absent nucleus; prokaryote; spirochete

Vibrio cholerae

comma-shaped; absent nucleus; prokaryote; vibrio

Penicillium sp.

brush-like; present nucleus; eukaryote; multicellular conidiomycota

Saccharomyces cerevisiae

ovoid; present nucleus; eukaryote; single-celled basidiomycota/oval to round budding yeast cells

Sarcina lutea

cuboidal; absent nucleus; prokaryote

compound light microscope

an upright microscope that uses two sets of lenses (a compound lens system) to obtain higher magnification than a stereo microscope

coarse adjustment knob

brings the specimen into general focus

fine adjustment knob

sharpens the image at higher magnifications

Low Power Objective

LPO

High Power Objective

HPO

Oil Immersion Objective

OIO

immersion oil

substance used for OIO