PRACTICAL NO: 1

OBJECTIVE: To study microscope. INTRODUCTION:

An optical instrument that uses a lens or a combination of lenses to produce magnified images of small objects, especially of objects too small to be seen by the unaided eye [1]. The technique of examining very small objects by means of a microscope is called microscopy [2]. There are many types of microscopes, the most common and first to be invented is the optical or light microscope which uses light as a source of illumination. While the other major type of microscope is the electron microscope which uses the beam of electrons as a source of illumination [3]. The light microscope may be simple if it is consisting of a single convex lens that is used to produce an enlarged image like the magnifying glass or compound microscope if it is composed of two or more than two converging lenses to magnify very small objects. The electron microscope is further classified as Scanning Electron Microscope and Transmission Electron Microscope. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) is a type of electron microscope that produces images of a sample by scanning it with a focused beam of electrons. The image is seen in 3-D. It has high magnification and high resolution. The specimen is coated in gold and the electrons bounce off to give you and exterior view of the specimen. The pictures are in black and white. While on the other hand, Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) is also electron illuminated. This gives a 2-D view. Thin slices of specimen are obtained. The electron beams pass through this. It also has high magnification and high resolution [4]. The microscope is used in a variety of scientific fields for many different purposes. Whether it is in forensics or traditional medical science, the microscope is an indispensable instrument. For instance, it is used in Tissue Analysis, Examining Forensic Evidence, Determining the Health of an Ecosystem, Studying the Role of a Protein within a Cell, Studying atomic structures etc[5]. A compound microscope consists of following parts: Eyepiece Lens: the lens at the top that you look through. They are usually 10X or 15X power. Tube: Connects the eyepiece to the objective lenses. Arm: Supports the tube and connects it to the base. Base: The bottom of the microscope, used for support. Illuminator: A steady light source used in place of a mirror. If your microscope has a mirror, it is used to reflect light from an external light source up through the bottom of the stage.

Stage: The flat platform where you place your slides. Stage clips hold the slides in place. Objective Lenses: Usually you will find 3 or 4 objective lenses on a microscope. They almost always consist of 4X, 10X, 40X and 100X powers. Condenser Lens: The purpose of the condenser lens is to focus the light onto the specimen. Condenser lenses are most useful at the highest powers (400X and above). Diaphragm or Iris: Many microscopes have a rotating disk under the stage. This diaphragm has different sized holes and is used to vary the intensity and size of the cone of light that is projected upward into the slide [4].

REFERENCES:
1. www.thefreedictionary.com/microscope 2. MedicineNet.com 3. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 4. http://www.cas.muohio.edu 5. http://www.ehow.com/facts_microscopes-science Research articles.html