THE MICROSCOPE

Light Microscope Operate through reflection of light from the object to our eyes Types Simple microscopes Made of one lens Hand lenses Compound microscopes Has a heavy metal foot Platform on which to place what is being examined Nosepiece that platform Long tube at the top which is the eyepiece Dark field microscope Specimen is illuminated by a special condenser that provides oblique lights Light will not pass up into the tube of the microscope unless it is deflected or scattered by the object Objects show up as brightly illuminated bodies Focuses a hollow cone of light in the plane of the specimen Phase Contrast microscope Enables contrast to be added to the normally invisibles objects Depends on the ability of the specimen to alter the wave form by retardation or absorption Light passing through the denser parts of the specimen will appear dark Light passing directly thought the specimen and the channel is retarded a quarter of wave length less than of the plate Interference of the deviated and undedicated rays produces the phase contrast effect Stereoscopic Microscope Designed to produce a three-dimensional image Two low power microscopes set side by side at a light angle to each other so a stereoscopic effect to the image Restricted to quite low magnification Used in dissecting work Only occasional focusing necessary Fluorescence Microscope Used to detect chemical bonding between certain substances Treating one of the substances in the reaction with a fluorescent dye Detection of antigen-antibody reactions. Labeled by chemically combining them with fluorescent dyes Electron Microscope Equipped with a binocular light microscope Magnifies about ten times and is used to view the fluorescent screen where ether image is formed Magnification in millions of times High-resolution electron microscopes Top screen magnification in the region of 250,000 times CARE OF THE MICROSCOPE 1. Carry the microscope properly by keeping it in an up-right position as close to the body as possible with one hand grasps the arms securely and the other hand supporting the base firmly. 2. Be sure that it is placed squarely in front of your and kept at a safe distance of about 3-4 inches from the edge of the table.

3. Clean the mechanical parts with soft tissue paper and the lenses with lens paper before and after using it. 4. Avoid wetting any part of the microscope wit h water or chemicals when suing temporary mounts. Wipe off dry any part that accidentally gets wet with appropriate wiper. 5. If and only when a dry preparation or mount is to be studied, tilting the microscope may be allowed provided it is tilted only to a comfortable angle of not more than 30 degrees from the vertical. Use the inclination joint in the process and dont fail to return the microscope to its original up-right position after use. 6. Do not remove any part of the microscope, unless specifically directed to do so, and ascertain that no part is missing or damaged before and after use. Report immediately any observed irregularity of the microscope. MECHANICAL PARTS OF THE MICROSCOPE Base Heavy Y shaped foot on which the microscope stands Pillar Short supporting piece arising from, the base Arm Short curved handle used in carrying the microscope Inclination joint Joint between the pillar and the arm used to tilt the upper part Body tube Attached to the arm and which bears the lenses Draw tube Upper portion of the upper lenses or the eyepiece Rotating nosepiece Revolving structure at the lower and of the body tube Dust shield Metallic structure above the nosepiece which protects the lower lenses. Coarse adjustment screw Knob geared to the tube use to bring the object into focus Fine adjustment screw Knob below the coarse adjustment screw, used for more delicate focusing Stage Platform with a central aperture and two clips to hold the slide being studied. Mechanical stage Moves the slide into focus OPTICAL PARTS OF THE MICROSCOPE Mirror Found below the stage with concave and flat surfaces use to gather; directs the light to illuminate the object Iris diaphragm Found above the mirror consisting of several metal blades which forms a circular opening; controls the amount of light reaching the object Condenser Further to concentrate the light rays into the specimen Low Power Objective shorter lens screwed to the rotating nosepiece; bring the object into focus High Power Objective longer lens screwed to the rotating nosepiece; serves to form a larger image of the object Ocular (Eyepiece) found in the draw tube; for further magnification of the object TERMS RELATED TO MICROSCOPE USE Magnification ability of the microscope to render the fine detail of an object visible Resolving Power depends upon two factors numeric aperture wavelength of light Numerical Aperture designation of the amount of light entering the objective from a point in the microscopic field Refractive Index Ratio of the velocity of light in a medium as compared with that in a vacuum Amount of refraction of ray upon entering the medium Expression of the light-bending capacity of the medium Depth of Focus Capacity of the objective lens to render details of an object in different planes clearly at the same time