Measuring with a Microscope – Calibrating and Using an Ocular

Micrometer

See page 19 of your Lab Manual

1. What are the units on your stage micrometer? ___________________________

2. What is the smallest space on your stage micrometer equal to in these units?
_________________________

Use the following change to the directions for calibrating your ocular micrometer.
Count how many spaces on the ocular micrometer (the one that moves when you rotate the
eyepiece of your microscope) there are in 0.10mm on your stage micrometer (the one that moves
when you move the stage). Put this number in the column labeled Ocular Units in the table
below. Now divide the 0.10mm stage micrometer measure by the number of ocular units you just
counted to determine the millimeters per ocular unit.

Fill in Table

Calibration of Ocular Micrometer

Stage units (mm) Ocular Units mm per Ocular Converted to µm
Unit
Scanning 0.10mm
Low 0.10mm
High 0.10mm

3. After preparing a slide of cheek epithelial cells get a cheek cell in focus first with the
scanning objective and then switch to the low power objective and get it in focus and finally
switch to the high power objective. Draw a cheek epithelial cell so it almost fills the circle
below.
4. Using your calibrated microscope measure the cheek epithelial cell you drew in µm.
Cheek epithelial cell length in µm __________________________

Add this measurement to your drawing by drawing a line along the dimension of the cell you
measured and putting the measurement above it as illustrated below for an amoeba.

250μm