Prepare to view a slide on a low-power microscope.
A microscope is a piece of lab equipment that magnifies very small objects that cannot be seen with the naked eye. Such objects include bacteria, plant cells and animal cells. A low-power microscope is a microscope that only magnifies an object a small amount, such as four times larger. The slide is the glass rectangle that has the specimen on it. In order to prepare to view a slide on a low-power microscope, place the slide on the stage, secure the slide with the stage clips, and then bring the object into focus.
Instructions
1. Put the slide on the center of the stage of the microscope. The stage is the flat part of the microscope that can be raised up and down. Make sure that the top of the slide is facing up. The top side of the slide has a label on it, which states the name of the specimen. The top of the slide also has a cover slip, which is a clear piece of square plastic, over the specimen. The top of the slide has an uneven texture.
2. Secure the slide on the stage using the stage clips. The stage clips are located on either side of the microscope. They will help to hold the slide in place.
3. Put the low-power objective under the eye-piece. The objective is the lens below the eyepiece, which allows an object to appear bigger. The low-power objective is the lowest magnification on the microscope. It is usually 4x. All of the objectives are labeled. Therefore, the 4x objective will have "4x" written on it. Also, the 4x objective is the shortest objective lens.
4. Turn the light on. The light switch is located at the base of the microscope. You will need to have the light on in order to view the specimen on the slide.
5. In order to view a slide on a low-power microscope, you have to bring the stage closer to the low-power objective. By rotating the large knob, known as the course adjustment, next to the base of the microscope, you will be able to bring the slide closer to your field of view.
6. Use the fine adjustment in order to get the object in focus. The fine adjustment is the smaller knob near the base of the microscope. It will make the image more clear. Turn the fine adjustment until you can clearly see the specimen on the slide.
Tags: low-power microscope, specimen slide, base microscope, base microscope will, fine adjustment
