Lecture Notes The Microscope part 1

Instructor: Roy P. Maribojoc MD

EARLY MICROSCOPE of Leeuwenhoek

■ made a simple microscope (mid 1600’s)
Leeuwenhoek's microscope:

A) a screw for adjusting the height of the object being examined

B) a metal plate serving as the body
C) a skewer to impale the object and rotate it
D) the lens itself, which was spherical

How Microscope works?

It uses lenses
■ A lens makes an enlarged image & directs light towards you eye
■ Convex Lenses bend light and focus it in one spot.

In a compound light microscope, the objective (bottom) convex lens magnifies and
focuses (bends) the image inside the body tube and the ocular convex (top) lens of a
microscope magnifies it (again).

A microscope is simple or compound depending on how many lenses it contains

1. A SIMPLE MICROSCOPE has one lens
2. COMPOUND MICROSCOPE
■ A compound microscope has multiple lenses (eyepiece & objective
lenses)

ELECTRON MICROSCOPES
■ More powerful; some can magnify up to 1,000,000X
■ Use a magnetic field in a vacuum to bend beams of electrons
■ Images must be photographed or produced electronically

1. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)

■ produces realistic 3D image

■ only the surface of specimen can be observed

2. Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM)

■ produces 2D image of thinly sliced specimen

■ detailed cell parts (only inside a cell) can be observed

3. Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM)

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 ■ able to show arrangement of atoms

MAGNIFICATION is the change in apparent size produced by a microscope

TOTAL MAGNIFICATION
Powers of the eyepiece (10X) multiplied by objective lenses determine total
magnification

Lecture Notes The Microscope PART 2

Instructor: Roy P. Maribojoc MD

The Parts of a Microscope

Body Tube
• The body tube holds the objective lenses and the ocular lens at the
proper distance
Nose Piece
• The Nose Piece holds the objective lenses and can be turned to increase
the magnification
Objective Lenses
• The Objective Lenses increase magnification (usually from 10x to 40x)
Stage Clips

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 • These 2 clips hold the slide/specimen in place on the stage.
Diaphragm
• The Diaphragm controls the amount of light on the slide/specimen
Light Source
• Projects light upwards through the diaphragm, the specimen and the
lenses
• Some have lights, others have mirrors where you must move the mirror to
reflect light
Ocular Lens/Eyepiece
• Magnifies the specimen image
Arm
• Used to support the microscope when carried. Holds the body tube, nose
piece and objective lenses
Stage
•Supports the slide/specimen
Coarse Adjustment Knob
• Moves the stage up and down (quickly) for focusing your image
Fine Adjustment Knob
• This knob moves the stage SLIGHTLY to sharpen the image
Base
• Supports the microscope

Caring the Microscope

• Clean only with a soft cloth/tissue
• Make sure it’s on a flat surface
• Don’t bang it
• Carry a Microscope Correctly
-Carry it with 2 HANDS…one on the arm and the other on the base

Using the Microscope

• Start on the lowest magnification
• Don’t use the coarse adjustment knob on high magnification…you’ll break the
slide!!!
• Place slide on stage and lock clips
• Adjust light source (if it’s a mirror…don’t stand in front of it!)