According to Gustavus Adolphus College, the primary purpose of a microscope is to enhance the resolution of a specimen on a slide. Resolution refers to the ability to clearly distinguish between two adjacent points. It is necessary to have high resolution to view the details of a specimen; without sufficient resolution a magnified specimen will appear blurry. The resolution of a specimen viewed through a microscope can be increased by changing the objective lens. The objective lenses are the lenses that protrude downward over the specimen.
- Microscope
- Slide
- Immersion oil
Grasp the nose piece. The nose piece is the platform on the microscope to which the three or four objective lenses are attached. The objective lenses are the lenses that protrude downward over the specimen.
Rotate the nose piece so that the shortest objective lens is positioned over the slide. It can be rotated by grasping the edge of the platform and twisting it with your hand.
Focus the microscope by turning the course adjustment knob and then the fine adjustment knob which are both located on the right side of the microscope.
Focus the microscope by turning the course adjustment knob and then the fine adjustment knob which are both located on the right side of the microscope. Turn the knobs until the specimen comes into focus.
Rotate the nose piece so that the center of the space between the longest objective lens and the second longest objective lens is directly over the slide.
Place a drop of immersion oil on the center of the slide over the specimen.
Rotate the nose piece so that the longest objective lens is directly over the specimen and touching the immersion oil on the slide.
Things You'll Need
References
- United States Department of Energy: Microscope Resolution
- “Basic Microbiology Techniques”; Susan Kelley, Ph.D., & Frederick Post, Ph.D.; 2004
About the Author
Morgan Owens has a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice, and minors in biology and psychology. She attended Boston University and is currently applying to law school for matriculation in 2014. Her articles have been published on numerous informational websites.
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