Biology Cover Sheet 1

The purpose of this lab, was using the compound microscope to learn the parts of the microscope and to prepare and observe a wet mount.

In this lab, the parts of the compound microscope were learned to use and observed. Certain parts of the microscope are not to be touched in certain power objectives. In super low and low power objectives, only the coarse adjustment knob should be used. On the high power objective, the only adjustment knob that should be used is strictly the fine adjustment knob. The coarse adjustment knob moves a big distance in a little turn, if moved the wrong way damage could be done to the microscope or the slide could break. When turning the coarse adjustment knob towards the biologists, the objective moves up and when the knob is turned away it moves down. The magnification of the ocular is 10x. The low power objective is also 10x and the high power objective is 40x. When the ocular magnification and objective magnification are multiplied together you get the total magnification. For example, 10x(ocular) times 10x(low objective) =100x(total magnification). In another instance, 10x(ocular) times 40x(high objective)= 400x(total magnification), obviously the highest magnification hence the name high power objective.

The magnification power of the microscope and its objectives is proved while biologists look at a letter “e” from a newspaper under the microscope. The letter “e” was in a font of about 6 and increased to a font of about 72. High magnification was used while observing the letter “e” from a newspaper and a picture from a magazine. When the letter”e” was observed in low power, it appeared to be upside down and polka-dotted. When observed in high power, the only part seen of the letter “e” was only a small portion of the whole letter. The letter appeared to change color. In the microscope, the letter was purple, gray, and specks of pink, as to the naked eye just looks like a black letter “e” in the newspaper. The field of view is...