Rules for using your microscope

 

  1. Always carry with two hands.  One holding the arm, and the other supporting the base
  2. Only clean the lenses with lens paper/tissue/wipes.
  3. Never use the coarse adjustment knob with the high power objective lens or oil immersion lens. 
  4. Always start with the scanning power objective lens.  Make sure the scanning objective lens is directly over stage opening when putting microscope away.
  5. Make sure power switch is off, power cord is wrapped loosely around microscope. and adjust the mechanical stage so that the minimal amount sticks beyond the stage, before putting microscope away.
  6. Always be gentle.

 

Learn the parts of your microscope:  Find the following parts on your microscope and be prepared to identify them.

Eyepiece

Oil Immersion objective lens

Mechanical stage adjustment knob

Body tube

Mechanical stage

Coarse Adjustment knob

Arm

Stage

Fine Adjustment knob

Nosepiece

Condenser lens

Base

Scanning objective lens

Condenser

Illuminator

Low Power objective lens

Aperture diaphragm lever

Rheostat

High Power objective lens

Condenser focusing knob

Power switch

 

How to bring images in focus

  1. Plug in the microscope and turn light on.
  2. Put the low power objective lens in position above the stage
  3. Obtain slide and place it on the stage within, but not under, the slide holder of the mechanical stage.
  4. Use the mechanical stage to adjust the slide so that the sample is under the objective lens and within the circle of light coming from the condenser lens.
  5. Using the coarse adjustment knob, bring the stage as close to the objective lens as possible.
  6. While looking into the right eyepiece with the right eye slowly lower the stage until the specimen comes into focus.  This may take several attempts.
  7. Adjust illumination using the aperture diaphragm lever or rheostat.
  8. Use the fine adjustment to finely focus view
  9. Close right eye, look into left eyepiece with left eye and use focus adjustment on left eyepiece to adjust for left eye.  Adjust both eyepieces to accommodate spatial distance between eyes.  Now use both eyes to view specimen.
  10. Increasing magnification:
    1. Make sure the specimen is in the center of your field of view.
    2. The microscope is parfocal so changing magnification should leave the specimen mostly in focus.
    3. After changing the objective lens, use the fine focus to bring the image back in focus
    4. Do not use the course adjustment knob with the high power or oil immersion objective lens

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