MICROSCOPE AND BASIC PLANT MICROTECHNIQUE

Activity 2
WORKSHEET

Name: Keren Jon Malanog Aves Date Submitted: 10/03/2020

Ephraim Joash Gaganting
Course, Year & Section: 1st Year BS-BIO A1 Class Schedule: M/TH

Compound Light Microscope

1. Fill in Table below with the parts and function of the compound microscope below.
No. Structure Function/s
1 Head A hollow tube through which light travels from the
objective to the ocular. separates the objective and the
eyepiece and assures continuous alignment of the
optics
2 Eyepieces(Ocular Lenses) The part that is looked through at the top of the
compound microscope. Eyepieces typically have a
magnification between 5x & 30x.
3 Diopter Adjustment usually found in binocular type of microscope and is
useful as a means to change focus on one eyepiece
so as to correct for any difference in vision between
your two eyes.
4 Revolving Nosepiece Holds the objective lenses & attaches them to the
microscope head. This part rotates to change which
objective lens is active.
5 Objectives Refer to the cylindrical tubes attached to the revolving
nosepiece for initial magnification of the image. Each
objective lens is color coded, this helps identify their
magnifying power.
6 Stage Clip Clips on the stage that hold the slide in place on the
mechanical stage
7 Mechanical Stage the part where the object to be examined is placed.
Stages in some microscope are often equipped with
mechanical ( thus the name mechanical stage) device
that holds the specimen slide in place and can
smoothly move the slide back and forth as well as from
side to side.
8 Condenser condenses the light from the base illumination and
focuses it onto the stage. This piece of the compound
microscope sits below the stage & typically acts as a
structural support that connects the stage to arm or
frame of the microscope.
9 Illumination Light used to illuminate the slide or specimen from the
base of the microscope. Low voltage halogen bulbs
are the most commonly used source of illumination for
compound microscopes.
10 Light Switch Used to turn off and on the light source
11 Base Bottom base of the microscope that houses the
illumination & supports the compound microscope.
12 Brightness Adjustment Used to adjust the brightness or amount of the light
emitted from the illumination .
13 Fine Adjustment Knob permits gradual changes in the elevation of the tube
or stage for final and accurate focusing
14 Coarse Adjustment Knob changes the elevation of the tube or stage rapidly for
preliminary focusing
15 Stage Controls Adjusts the position of the mechanical stage vertically
& horizontally. It is important to adjust these knobs so
that the objective lens is never coming into contact
with the slide or specimen on the stage.
16 Stage Aperture Circular opening in the stage where the illumination
from the base of the compound microscope reaches
the platform of the stage.
17 Arm Supports the microscope head and attaches it to
the base.
 2.
a. Explain the difference in the image b and c from the actual size letter “e” (a).
- The image formed in b and c is inverted because the focal length of the objective is
very short and the light rays spreads more because of the ocular lens and creates
large image than the actual size of letter “e”. The image b observed in a LPO shows
magnification of the letter ‘e’ and it is inverted while the image c (also inverted)
observe in a HPO magnifies the letter ‘e’ and only a portion of the letter can be seen
because its magnification is far greater than LPO.

b. Compute for the Total Magnification of the image using the 4 objectives given a 15x
ocular lens. Convert your answer to micrometer the unit used in microscopy.

Magnification of Magnification of Total Magnification Total Magnification

objective Lens Eyepiece of Image of Image in
Micrometer
4x 15x 60x 6.0 x 104 μm
10x 15x 150x 1.5 x 105 μm
40x 15x 600x 6.0 x 105 μm
100x 15x 1500x 1.5 x 106 μm

Total Magnification = (Magnification of eyepiece * Magnification of objectives)

a. 4x * 15x = 60x
b. 10x * 15x = 150x
c. 40x * 15x = 600x
d.100x * 15x = 1500x

Given: 1mm = 1000µm (Conversion)

a. 60x * 1000 = 60000 μm / 6.0 x 104 μm
b. 150x * 1000 = 150 000 μm / 1.5 x 105 μm
c. 600x * 1000 = 600 000 μm / 6.0 x 105 μm
d. 1500x * 1000 = 1 500 000 μm / 1.5 x 106 μm
 c. Knowing the concept of microscopy and how the real and virtual image are formed. Can
you tell which direction (with reference to time) will the movement of the image of the
letter “e” be under LPO and HPO. Refer to the table below . Fill in the table below.

Movement of slide with letter “e” Direction of movement of image

form under LPO and HPO

12 o’ clock 6 o’clock

3 o’ clock 9 o’clock

6 o’clock 12 o’clock

9 o’clock 3 o’clock

6. Fill in the table below with the type of microscope(s) you would use to best view the
given subject and an explanation for your choices.

Subjects: a. Plant spores; b. green algae; c. pollen; d. Virus; hydrilla cells

Specimen Appropriate Explanation
Microscope to be
used

Plant Spores Stereoscopic or It has a magnification for about 2-100x

Dissecting using light illumination. Unlike the typical

microscope compound microscope, a dissecting has a

longer working distance that allows for
dissecting objects. Dissecting microscope
magnification helps sort, visualize
peripheral surfaces in three-dimensions
which allows for a thorough examination of
specimens. It is often used by botanists ro
study or observe the internal leaf structures.

Green Algae Compound Light Compound light microscope has a total

Microscope magnification up to 400x. On a compound

light microscope, a sample is placed on a
glasss slide and light is passed through the
sample from underneath the stage. This type
of microscope shows great detail of small,
thin objects.
 Pollen Compound Light When viewed under the microscope, the

Microscope stained slide is clearer because of better

contrast. The grains will appear as tiny
ovoid particles with what seems like a scaly
surface or ornmentations.

The unstained slide appears more

transparent/translucent and does not give a
clear view of the grain surface. However,
the appearance of the grains is also largerly
dependent on the type of plant from which
the pollen was obtained.

Covid virus Electron A virus is between 100 and 500 times

Microscope smaller than bacteria. A transmission

electron microscope allows for about 1000
times higher resolution compared to typical
light microscopes, It allows for better
observation of virions.

When viewed under the transmission

electron microscope, virions can be seen as
small particles inside the cell (in the cells
they have infected).

Hydrilla Compound Light Like any other multicellular living thing,

cells
Microscope leaf structure is made up of layers of
cells. Viewing the leaf under the
microscope shows different types of
cells that serve various functions. Using
a compound light microscope, it’s
possible to view and identify these cells
and how they are arranged.
 7. Using the Venn’s Diagram compare and contrast the compound light microscope,
Stereomicroscope and electron microscope. In the outer circle, write the things about
them that are different. In the center circle, write the things that are alike between the 2
microscopes or all the three, depending on how the circles overlap.

- commonly used to view items that

are too small to see with the naked
-also known as a stereomicroscope eye.
- both optical
microscopes -have several strengths of objective lenses
- it has a lower magnification ability that use visible and rely on light shining from beneath the
light to create an specimen.
-requires that a specimen be very thin and at
image
-light can be directed at the least partly translucent
-magnify an object by
specimen from above, creating a focusing light through -Most specimens are stained, sectioned and
three dimensional image. prisms and lenses, directing placed on a glass slide for viewing
it toward a specimen -A compound microscope can
- gives the user the option to
magnify up to 1,000 times and
manipulate the specimen, even provide the ability to see much
performing small dissections under is a biological tool that is more detail. The working distance
the microscope. Live specimens can used to magnify objects varies from 0.14 to
-it observed.
also be has a long working too small to be seen by 4 mm.
distance, between 25 and the naked eye.
150 mm, -used to observe
tool used to ultra-thin piece
tool used to investigate/ of larger objects.
investigate/ Observe
Observe specimens
specimens

-is a microscope that uses a beam of accelerated electrons as

a source of illumination.
-special type of microscope having a high resolution
of images, able to magnify objects in nanometres,
which are formed by controlled use of electrons in
vacuum captured on a phosphorescent screen
-The live specimen cannot be observed.

-This type of microscope is a

large, cumbersome extremely
sensitive to vibration and
external magnetic fields.
 8. What plant microtechnique is most appropriate to use when yo want to do microscopic
observation of the following; Fill in the table below with your correct answer.
a. Hydrilla cells
b. Nucleus of onion cells
c. Soft tissues of plants
d. Hard plant tissues
e. Cross section of young dicot stem

Plant Specimen Appropriate Reason/Explanation

Microtechnique to
employ

Hydrilla cells Wet Mounts Hydrilla cells can be observe easily by

Nucleus of Onion Cells
using wet mounts because the surface
tension will do its job when a drop of
water held between the slide and the
cover slip. It is best being observed in
wet mounts because only the tip of its
leaf is being cut.
Staining Only the cytoplasm and plasma
membrane is visible without stain. Stain
helps in providing contrast and
enhancing its details during the
examination of the nucleus of the onion
cell making it more visible since it
doesn’t have a color contrast. For
specimens and samples that do not have
color Staining teachnique is used to add
contrast during examination. Specific
dyes are used to enhance specific parts or
structure for microscopic examination.

Soft tissues of Plants
Embedding Since soft tissues plant is very delicate and
easily distorted and damaged, and it is
thus impossible to prepare thin sections
from it unless it is chemically preserved or
“fixed” and supported in some way while
it is being cut. Using embedding or
paraffin wax it hardens its tissue and will
 have appropriate physical properties
which will allow thin sections to be cut
from it.

Hard Tissues of Plants Maceration Hard tissues of plants have a strong

middle lamella the cement or holds the
two cells together of the cell wall. In
order to weaken the lamella and separate
the constituent cells, various chemical
solutions are needed. These solutions
dissolve or weaken the middle lamella so
that the cells are easily shaken or teased
apart for in depth study, since
longitudinal sections of the samples are
not enough to observe individual or
isolated cells.

Cross section of Young Freehand Freehand section is used to observe Cross

section
Dicot Stem section of young Dicot because it is a
simple, fast and inexpensive technique
that can be used to produce thin sections
of it for microscopic examination. This
method often results to high quality
images with very minimal materials used.
Young Dicot Stem is examined in thin
slices using a hand held blade or a
microtome.

References:
 https://www.cas.miamioh.edu/mbi-
ws/microscopes/Magnification.html#:~:text=To%20figure%20the%20total%20magnific
ation,of%20the%20eyepiece%2C%20usually%2010X.
 http://sammonssci.weebly.com/uploads/3/7/7/0/37708101/03_magnification_and_scale_pr
oblems.pdf
 https://humanbiology2011.wordpress.com/2011/10/14/magnification/#:~:text=If%20you
%20are%20measuring%20in,of%20image%20was%209%20micrometers.&text=%3D
%20a%20magnification%20of%202333.
 https://mammothmemory.net/biology/cell-structure-and-organisation/calculating-
magnification-and-sizes-of-specimens/calculating-magnification-and-sizes-of-
specimens.html