PARTS AND FUNCTIONS OF A

MICROSCOPE
 Eyepiece
Body tube

Revolving Nosepiece
Arm
Objective Lenses
Aperture
Stage
Stage Clips Coarse Adjustment
Iris Diaphragm Knob
Condenser Fine Adjustment
Light Source Knob

Base
RESOLVING POWER
Capacity of an optical instrument to
separate or distinguish small or closely
adjacent images.
Ability to produce separate images of
closely placed objects
NUMERICAL APERTURE
Ability to gather light and resolve fine
specimen detail at a fixed object
distance.
The larger the NA, the greater the
resolving power of the objective.
MAGNIFICATION
The ratio of the original image to the “magnified”
image.
TOTAL MAGNIFICATION
Amount of magnification an apparatus
has when taking all of the optics involved
in the apparatus into account.
The total magnification of an image is
calculated by multiplying the
magnification of the ocular lens by the
magnification of the objective lens.
Oil Immersion Objective
PROPER WAY OF FOCUSING THE MICROSCOPE

1. Always observe the specimen or object

using the LOWEST POWER object first.
2. Focus using the COARSE ADJUSTMENT
KNOB to bring the object into focus.
Bring the object into sharp focus by
using the fine adjustment knob.
PROPER WAY OF FOCUSING THE MICROSCOPE

3. Focus, and then move to a higher

power objective, if needed.
4. Use only the FINE ADJUSTMENT
KNOB when using the HIGHEST
(longest) POWER OBJECTIVE.
PROPER WAY OF FOCUSING THE MICROSCOPE
5. Keep both eyes open to reduce eyestrain.
Keep eye slightly above the eyepiece to
reduce eyelash interference.
6. To find out the total magnification of the
object, multiply the power of the eyepiece
lens (10X) by the power of the objective.
PROPER CARE OF THE MICROSCOPE
1. Always carry the microscope in an upright
position using both hands – one hand at the
base and the other at the arm.
2. Keep the microscope at the edge of the table
and do not let the cord get entwined around
or with something.
3. Always clean the lenses with a lens paper wet
with xylol to remove smudges (eg., traces of
immersion oil).
PROPER CARE OF THE MICROSCOPE
4. When returning the microscope to its proper
place, ALWAYS:
Remove the slide from the mechanical stage.
Rotate the nosepiece so that the scanning lens is
in place.
Secure the cord so that it does not hang down.
5. Cover the instrument with a dust jacket
when not in use.
The end!