UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES VISAYAS TACLOBAN

Tacloban City

Biology 14
Exercise 3. Preparing and Focusing a Specimen
Objectives:
1. To be able to mount a small animal on a slide.
2. To be able to focus, observe, and examine such specimen under various
magnifications.

Materials:
Light Compound Microscope
Dead Animal (small AND thin enough to fit under the cover slip, i.e. ≤1cm)
Forceps
Slide and cover slip
Pin/needle

Methods:
1. Acquire and ready all needed materials that you do not have with you yet.

2. Mounting the specimen:

a. Using a forceps, gently lift your specimen and place it on the
slide on its side, facing to your left.
b. Use the pin/needle to arrange the specimen’s appendages (if present)
neatly before finally covering with cover slip (do not apply too much
pressure).

3. Focusing and viewing your specimen. Illustrate (line drawings only) under
a. scanner (1 illustration)
b. LPO ( 2 magnified portions based on (a.)
Don’t forget the total magnification.

*Enclose each illustration inside a circle (identical size) to represent your Field of
Vision (FOV)

Study Questions:
1. Under what objective/s were you able to observed larger parts of your specimen?
2. Why is it that you were not able to observe the entirety of your specimen under both
objectives?