CARE AND HANDLING OF MICROSCOPE

Transporting When you pick up the microscope and walk with it, grab the arm with one
hand and place your other hand on the bottom of the base.
Don't Swing The Microscope!
Handling & Never touch the lenses with your fingers. Your body produces oil that
Cleaning smudges the glass. This oil can even etch the glass if left on too long. Use
only lens paper to clean the glass.
Toilet Paper, Kleenex, And Paper Towels Have Fibers That Can Scratch
The Lenses
Storage When you are finished with your observation, rotate the nosepiece so that
it's return to low power objective(4x), roll the coarse adjustment
knob so that it's all the way down to the stage. Turn the light off, unplug
and wrap the cord, then cover with dust/microscope cover.
Don't Forget To Use Proper Transporting Techniques!
Clean up Clean all slides, materials, and work area when you're done. Please, be
careful with the slides and cover slips. They are made of glass and if
broken, you will get cut and you will bleed.
Be Careful! Don't Cut Yourself

HOW TO USE A MICROSCOPE?

1. To carry the microscope grab the microscopes arm with one hand. Place your other hand
under the base.
2. Place the microscope on a table with the arm toward you.
3. Place a prepared slide on the stage. Use the stage clips to hold the slide in place.
4. Center the specimen on slide by using slide adjustment knob.
5. Revolve the nosepiece until the low-power objective lens (4x) clicks into place.
6. Turn the coarse adjustment knob to move the stage upwards until it stops completely.
7. Observe the specimen through eyepiece
8. While looking through the eyepiece, VERY SLOWLY turns the coarse adjustment knob
until the specimen comes into focus.
9. To switch to the high power objective lens (10x or 40x), look at the microscope from the
side. CAREFULLY rotate the nosepiece until the high power objective lens clicks into
place. Make sure the lens does not hit the slide.
10. Looking through the eyepiece, turn the fine adjustment knob until the specimen comes
into focus. Do not turn the coarse adjustment knob.
WHEN TO USE IMMERSION OIL?

 Immersion oil should only be used on immersion oil objective lens. The lens will have
“oil’ or “immersion” printed on it.
 Immersion oil should be used when you want to view a clearer image of at 1000x.
 Immersion oil objective lens is usually used to observe microorganism such as bacteria
and protozoa.
 Immersion oil reduces the light refraction from the specimen and makes the image
quality become clear and sharp.

STEPS OF USING OIL IMMERSION LENS

1. Focus the specimen until 40x objective lens and examine it.
2. Rotate the nosepiece of the microscope so that 40x and 100x lens are halfway between
the slide.
3. Apply a single small drop of oil immersion on the middle of slide.
4. Very carefully rotate 100x oil objective lens into place until you hear a clicking sound.
5. Open up diaphragm to increase amount of light.
6. While looking at the specimen, adjust the fine adjustment knob until specimen comes into
sharp focus and become clear.
7. When finished viewing with your 100x oil immersion lens, carefully move the stage
downwards by using coarse adjustment knob.
8. Gently wipe the oil from oil immersion objective lens by using clean lens tissue.
9. Use a second piece of lens tissue moistened with a small amount of alcohol (ethyl/
isopropyl), wiping lens surface again to remove any remaining oil.
Note: Failing to remove immersion oil from lenses will result in hardened oil on lenses
that will affect future clarity.
10. Remove the slide off the stage.
11. Gently rotate the nosepiece again to return to low power objective lens (4x).