Microscope Components

Arm

connects the base and head of the microscope

Mechanical stage

consists of spring clips or clamps to hold a slide in position.

Mechanical stage control

moves the mechanical stage and slide held by the mechanical stage

Stage

platform that a slide rests on

Coarse adjustment knob

used for initial focusing of slide image

Fine adjustment knob

Used for precise focusing of slide image after coarse focusing has been completed

Base

supports the microscope.

Light control

turns on/off power to the light source

Ocular lenses

Eye pieces used to view the magnified image from the slide

Rotating nosepiece

contains objective lenses, allowing for changing of lenses for variable magnification of the slide image

Condenser

small substage lens that concentrates the light on the specimen

Substage light

light source for microscope (if a mirror is used instead, it reflects light from an external source

Objective lenses

used to magnify the slide sample image