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Microscopes Student-1

The document outlines the laboratory sessions for SBI 110 - Biology 1 at the University of Goroka, focusing on microscopy techniques, including the use of monocular microscopes, preparation of wet mounts, and calculating magnification. It details objectives, materials, procedures, and skills required for each lab session. Additionally, it includes assessment tasks for students to complete based on the labs conducted.

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edwardnickbenjamin
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28 views6 pages

Microscopes Student-1

The document outlines the laboratory sessions for SBI 110 - Biology 1 at the University of Goroka, focusing on microscopy techniques, including the use of monocular microscopes, preparation of wet mounts, and calculating magnification. It details objectives, materials, procedures, and skills required for each lab session. Additionally, it includes assessment tasks for students to complete based on the labs conducted.

Uploaded by

edwardnickbenjamin
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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UNIVERSITY OF GOROKA

SCHOOL OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY


DIVISION OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
COURSE: SBI 110 – BIOLOGY 1 ​SEMESTER 1

LAB ONE​ INTRODUCTION TO MICROSCOPY


Objectives: ​
●​ Identify the parts of a monocular microscope.
●​ Describe their functions
●​ Set up and use a monocular microscope.
Materials: microscopes, permanent slides of plant and animal cells

What is a monocular microscope?


A monocular microscope is one which has a single lens at the top through which you view.
Monocular microscopes are used to observe very small organisms and cells.
The microscope works by passing light through the specimen which must be very thin or transparent. Usually
the specimen is mounted on a glass slide.

Parts and function of a microscope


Identify the parts of the microscope with their functions.

HOW DO YOU USE A MICROSCOPE?

A. SETTING UP YOUR MICROSCOPE


(1) Carry the microscope by the arm and base.
(2) Place the microscope safely on the bench facing towards the light source.
(3) If your microscope has no illuminator then you can use a lamp or place it near a window.
(4) Check that the low power (smallest) objective lens is engaged - it should click in.
(5) Raise the condenser up as far as it will go using the condenser knob.
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(6) Check that the flat side of the mirror is up. But if your microscope has no condenser then use the concave
side.
(7) Remove the eye-piece lens and while looking down the barrel.......adjust the mirror so that illumination is
even............move the iris diaphragm lever so that the iris is nearly fully open. Replace the lens.

B. VIEWING UNDER LOW POWER


(1) Place the slide on the stage and centre the specimen over the hole, clip the slide down.
(2) Look from the side and use the coarse focus knob to bring the objective lens and slide close together (about
cm apart).
* If you don’t look from the side you can easily smash the slide.
(3) Then looking down through the eye-piece lens gently move the objective lens and slide apart using the
coarse focus knob until the specimen comes into focus.
(4) Focus the condenser by moving it up and down (with the condenser knob) until you can see an image of the
lamp (or window if you are using a skylight) then take it slightly out of focus.
(5) Finally use the iris diaphragm lever to adjust the light intensity in order to get the clearest image possible.

C.VIEWING UNDER HIGH POWERS


You must have your specimen in focus under low power first before you can do this part.
(1) Move the part of the specimen you want to look at to the centre of your field of view (move the slide in the
opposite direction to where you want to go).
(2) Carefully rotate the next largest objective lens into line with the barrel - it should click in place.
* If the lens touches the slide-check with your teacher.
(3) Bring the specimen into sharp focus using the fine focus knob alone.
(4) If your microscope has three objective lenses then repeat steps 1 and 3 to reach high power.

D. PUTTING YOUR MICROSCOPE AWAY


(1) Raise the barrel and rotate the low power lens into line.
(2) Remove and return the microscope slide.
(3) Wipe the stage with tissue paper if wet.
Questions
1.​ What do you understand about the resolution or resolving power of a lens?
2.​ How many lens systems does a compound microscope have? Explain how it works.
3.​ Where is the objective lens located?
4.​ What are the two functions of the objective lens?
5.​ What is the function of the condenser lens?
6.​ Which microscope part controls the amount of light entering the objective lens?
7.​ Where is the object placed on the microscope?
8.​ When focusing with the high power lenses, which adjustment knob is always used?
9.​ How does the field of view appear when the iris diaphragm is completely closed?
Skills: observing, manipulating a microscope, analyzing

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LAB TWO​ PREPARING WET MOUNT
Introduction

The light or optical microscopes used today to investigate cells are called compound microscopes because they
have two or more lenses. The section (the material to be viewed) must be transparent and must be cut as thinly
as possible. The thinnest part of a section is usually at the edge, especially if the material used has been ripped
or peeled off, rather than cut. Sections are mounted (placed in liquid) on a microscope slide for viewing so that
most parts of the section are in focus.

Materials:

Onion cells, microscopes, slides, cover slips, 70% alcohol, pipette, tissue, iodine solution, forceps (needle,
blades), water

Objectives: By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

●​ Prepare a plant cell for viewing


●​ Observe and draw a plant cell view under a microscope
●​ Use the microscope correctly

Procedure

1.​ Hold a slide and cover slip by their edge to keep them clean. If dirty, clean with 70 % alcohol. See the
teacher for the instruction.
2.​ Cut a 5mm by 5mm piece of tissue with a blade.
3.​ Remove the tissue from the lower epidermis with a forcep and place in the centre of the slide.
4.​ Squeeze one drop of water onto the tissue using a pipette (droper).
5.​ Rest one edge of the cover slip on the slide at the side of the drop. Gently lower the cover slip down
onto the water using a toothpick or a paper clip. Do this slowly and carefully so that tiny air bubbles will
not be trapped beneath the cover slip. This will spoil your wet mount.
6.​ Use a tissue to dry off excess water outside the cover slip. You have now made a wet mount.
7.​ To examine the wet mount, set up the microscope on its lowest magnification. Then look at the wet
mount.

Note: Handle the microscope with care

Activity

(i)​ Draw the field of view on a clean sheet of paper.


(ii)​ Draw the cells viewed in the field of view
(iii)​ Count the number of cells that fit across the field of view.
(iv)​ Write down the magnification of the eyepiece lens and objective lens used.

Skills: Observing, drawing, handling of microscope

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LAB THREE​Calculating Magnification
How can you calculate how much the object is magnified by the microscope?
Objective: By the end of the session the students should calculate how much the object is magnified by the
microscope.

Magnification of a Drawing in Biology:


In Biology, all drawings must have a magnification. This number should go under the drawing and be written n
X where n= the number of the magnification.
Why is it important in biology to include the magnification of a drawing?

What is magnification?
Well, it tells the reader how much larger (or smaller) the picture is than the real size of the item.
Magnification is expressed as a fraction:
Size of drawing
Magnification = -------------------
Average Real Size of the Object

Calculating magnification of drawings of items seen with a microscope involves a series of easy steps.

Step A: Size of Drawing


• Draw the items viewed.
• Measure one of the items, such as a cell, in your drawing with a ruler. For example, suppose one cell in your
drawing measures 2cm in diameter. Convert this size to micrometers (or “microns”).
1mm = 1000 micrometers (μ). Thus 2cm = 20 mm = 20 000 micrometers (μ).

Step B: Determine the Real Size of the Object


•The microscopes that we are using are called compound microscopes, that is they use two lenses to magnify
the image of the objects viewed. The steps here only have to be done:

First: We have to determine how the microscope magnifies. To do this, we simply multiply the magnifying
number of the ocular lens by the objective lens:

Before you take your slide off of the microscope, be sure to record:
- the power you are using
- the number of cells across the field of view.
Ocular lens X Objective lens = Total Magnification
10X 4X 40X
10X 10X 100X
10X 40X 400X
Second: Keep in mind that the field of view decreases as you go to a higher power, but as you go to a higher
power the detail increases: thus it’s a trade-off!

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Third: Measure the field of view under the low power of the microscope using a clear plastic ruler. Measure the
size of this field of view in mm. Convert this number to micrometers.
Fourth: Since the field of view decreases in size in direct proportion to the increase of magnification, we can
calculate the size of the other fields of view. For example, if the
field of view is 4000μ at 40X, it will be 10 times smaller at 400X, or 400μ in size.
For example:

Magnification of Lenses Field of View (mm) Field of view (μ)


Low = 40X ​ 4mm ​ ​ 4000μ
Med = 100X ​ ​ 1.6 mm ​ ​ ​ 1600μ
High = 400X ​​ 0.4 mm ​ ​ ​ 400μ
(Ratio: 1:2.5:10)

Step C: Estimate the real size of one of the cells in a particular field of view
This is best shown by example. Suppose at medium power (100X) the field of view is 1600μ. Also, let’s
suppose that 8 cells fit across the field of view.

Size of the field of view (in μ)


Average real cell size = ---------------------------------------
# of cells that fit across
If 8 cells fit across the field of view, then 1600μ/8 = 200μ per cell.

This is the real size of each cell.

Important note: When figuring out how many cells fit across, measure these cells the same way you first
measured your drawing of the cells. For example, if you measured the length of the cells, you must estimate the
real size of the cells by counting how many cells fit the field of view lengthwise.

Step D: Magnification:
Now, you can calculate the magnification using the formula given earlier. Suppose you measured the length of
one cell in your drawing to be 20 000μ. (using above examples)

Size of Drawing or 20 000μ


Magnification = ---------------------------------- = 100
Real Size of the object or 200μ
Now, you can write 100X under the title of the drawing, which tells the readers that you have drawn the item
100 times larger than its real size.

*** Steps C & D are the ones that will need to be repeated to calculate the magnification of biological
drawings. ***

5
Assessments:
1.​ Lab 1 – Answer Questions 1-9
2.​ Lab 2- Answer Activities (i,ii,iii,iv)
3.​ Lab 3 – Follow the steps to calculate magnification of drawing from lab 2. Follow all steps to get full
marks.
4.​ Hand in the three pieces of work in week 5 to your practical tutors. The assessment is due on your
practical days. For instance, Monday’s groups will give their assessments to Mrs. Kotop on Monday of
week 4.

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