A microscope is an instrument that is used to magnify small objects.
examples:
Bacterial stains
parasites
Plant organelles

​

What is a microscope?

Typically, a compound microscope is used for viewing samples at high magnification (40 - 1000x), which is achieved by the combined effect of two sets of lenses: the ocular lens (in the eyepiece) and the objective lenses (close to the sample).

​Types of Microscopes

​Compound Light Microscope

• ​Uses a series of lenses to magnify images

• ​Use stains and dyes to see cells better

​Electron Microscope

• ​Create an image with a beam of electrons

• ​Transmission Electron Microscope

• ​Scanning Electron Microscope

• ​Scanning Tunneling Microscope

​Microscope Parts

• ​Ocular Lens

• ​Stage

• ​Objective Lenses

• ​Diaphragm

• ​Coarse Adjustment Knob

• ​Fine Adjustment Knob

• ​Light

​Parts of a Microscope

1. ​Objective Lens = Lens closest to the specimen; directs light to the ocular.

2. ​Ocular = Eyepiece; Lens in eye piece

3. ​Revolving Nosepiece = Holds the objective lenses; allows for adjustment of objective lenses to higher or lower magnification.

​Parts of a Microscope

​4. Stage = holds the specimen to be viewed

​5. Stage Clips = keeps the microscope slide in place

​6. Diaphragm = adjusts the amount of light that passes through the specimen

​7. Light source = source of light on the microscope

​8. Arm = holds the ocular and revolving nosepiece; carry using the arm

​Parts of a Microscope

​9. Coarse Adjustment knob = allows for focus of the specimen at low magnification; only use on low magnification

​10. Fine adjustment knob = used to focus specimen at high magnification

​11. Base = the bottom of the microscope; put one hand under the base to carry

​How to Focus A Microscope

• Start with lowest power objective lens (eg. 4x)

• Look through the eyepiece and move the coarse adjustment knob until the image comes into focus.

• Move the microscope slide around until the sample is in the center of the field of view (what you see).

• Use the fine adjustment knob to focus with the clearest image