Microscope
Types, parts and
its function
What is a microscope?
- It is a tool that is used to see organisms, plants or
objects that are too small to be seen by the naked
eye.
- It make small objects look bigger.
Microscopy
- Is the science of investigating small objects and
structures using a microscope
Microscopic
- Means being invisible to the eye unless aided by a
microscope.
Animal cell Plant cell
Microorganism
cell
Magnification
- It describes how much larger an object appears when viewed.
Before After magnification
magnification
Resolution
- It is the capacity of a microscope to distinguish small gaps between two separate
points which human cannot distinguish.
Different types of microscope:
[Link] microscope
[Link] microscope
[Link] microscope
[Link]
[Link] probe microscope
Compound microscope
- Is an optical microscope that uses visible light to form an image.
- It uses glass lenses to magnify and resolve images.
- It is called compound microscope because it uses two or more double convex lenses to
magnify the object.
Three major parts of compound microscope:
1. Magnifying
2. Illuminating
3. Mechanical parts
Magnifying parts
- the parts that make the bigger specimen look bigger.
specimen from the onion
ring
Magnifying parts
1. Eyepiece/ocular lense – where the viewer looks and see the magnified image of the
specimen.
Eyepiece lens 10x
magnification
2. Objective lenses – used for specimen visualization/magnification
Typical objective lenses:
a. Low power objective
– 10x magnification power.
- used to see the general outline of the specimen.
b. High power objective
- 40x magnification power.
- View structures on a larger perspectives.
c. Oil power objective
- 100x magnification power.
- It requires the use of special oil.
- Longest objective use to view bacteria, very
small protease and fungi.
Illuminating parts – parts of the microscope that supply ang regulate light towards the
specimen.
1. mirror – it reflects light from an external source up through the bottom of the
stage which illuminates the specimen.
Lights source can
the The light is
natural source coming from an
light illuminator
of the sun and the powered by
artificial light of electricity.
the lamp.
It captures light
from the external
source of about
100 voltage.
2. Irish diaphragm – located under the stage
- it controls the amount of light that reaches the specimen.
3. stage condenser – also located the back of the stage.
- collects and focuses the light from the mirror to the specimen.
Mechanical parts – used for support and in adjusting the different parts of the microscope.
1. body tube – it holds the eyepiece lens and connects them to the objective lenses.
2. Revolving nosepiece – it holds the different objective of lens and facilitates the changing
of objectives.
3. Adjusting knobs – they are used to focus microscope.
2 types of adjusting knobs:
a. coarse adjusting knob – it moves the body tube and low power lenses closer or
farther away
from the stage to view the image of the specimen.
- it should only be used with low power objective because
the gearing mechanism of adjusting knob produces a large
vertical movement of the stage with only a partial revolution of the
knob.
b. fine adjusting knob - it is used to bring a specimen into a sharp focus to show
clearly the detailed parts of the specimen.
- moves lower and shorter in terms of distance.
4. Stage - a flat surface where the mounted slide is placed.
A slide is where the
specimen is placed
for observation.
5. Stage clips – it holds the slide in place.
6. Arm and base – they are used for support and in carrying the microscope
base – support the whole microscope.
arm – serve as the handle of the microscope in carrying it with the base in
transporting it
one place to another.
arm
base
7. Inclination joint – it allows the user to tilt the microscope for a comfortable viewing.
Tilting the
microscope ; dry
specimen.
BOTANY LAB QUIZ 1 – GOODLUCK!
ANSWERS