Lab 1: Microscope Lab

(This image is a cheek cell at 4x)

When working in biology, especially microbiology, the microscope in an everyday tool. This lab shows us how to use a microscope and how to perfect our skills so we can achieve the goals that we need. We use a microscope to amplify or magnify microscopic organisms to see what they consist of and what their functions are.

There are different parts of a microscope:

• Stage: The stage is the rectangular, flat piece that the slide is placed on. There are clips that are attached to the stage to secure the slide. There are two knobs that are associated with the stage. They move the stage up and down and left to right.



• Focus knobs: There are two focus knobs. The bigger knob, or coarse knob, moves the stage quickly. The smaller knob, fine knob, moves the stage more slowly and is more for smaller adjustments.

• Iris: Is what helps with the transparency of the specimen. It is located under the stage.

• Oculars: These are what we look through. You can move them to adjust to your eyes. If you don't adjust them correctly, you will see double so make sure you only see one image.

• Objectives: These are what magnifies the images. On the simulator we used there were 4 objectives (4x, 10x, 40x, and 100x). To switch to the different objectives you just rotate them to the objective you want to use. Make sure when you are adjusting them, you have enough room between the lens and the stage! Otherwise, you will scratch the lens and the stage!
  

When you put a specimen on the stage you want to make sure it is centered and over the hole on the stage. The light needs to be able to shine through the specimen so you can get a clear image. Set the objective to the right magnification that you want. Use the focus knobs to adjust the specimen to the right image that you want. If you want to adjust it quickly, use the coarse knob. If you want to make smaller adjustments, use the fine knob. The xy controls are used to move the specimen side to side, or left to right.

Working with a microscope takes a lot of work and practice. I found that the more I used it, I became more familiar with it. I would use different objectives to see what images I would see and how they would differ from each other. Just remember, the more you utilize it, the better you will get with it. Practice makes perfect!

Some historical facts:

Zacharias Janssen was the first to develop a microscope in 1595. Many people believe that his father, Hans, is the one who actually developed the first microscope

In 1660, Robert Hooke took the microscope and modified it. He was a very mathematical person and used his knowledge to improve the microscope.

"Anton van Leevwerhoek was the first person to ever describe bacteria (from teeth scrapings), protozoans (from pond water) and helped prove the theory of blood circulation"

(this cheek cell at 10x)

(This cheek cell at 40x)

(cheek cell at 100x)