Lab 2 11/1/2022

TITLE: Eyepiece graticule

AIM: TO CALIBRATE AN EYEPIECE GRATICULE

APPARATUS:

● Microscope BM 024

● Stage micrometer

● Eyepiece graticule

DIAGRAM: SHOWING SETUP OF APPARATUS

METHOD:
1. A graticule was inserted into the eyepiece of the microscope by unscrewing the top lens,

the graticule was rested on the rim halfway down and replaced the top lens.

2. A stage micrometer slide was placed on the stage of the microscope. The value of the

smallest division on the stage micrometer was recorded in micrometers (um).

3. The low-power objective was used to focus the microscope on the stage micrometer. The

eyepiece was rotated and the slide was moved to superimpose the scales of the eyepiece

graticule and the stage micrometer.

4. The number of divisions on the eyepiece graticule was counted equivalent to the smallest

division on the stage micrometer and hence the length that one eyepiece division was

calculated is equivalent to. The data was recorded.

5. Step 4 was repeated for the high-power objectives.

RESULTS:SHOWING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OBJECTIVE POWER AND

THE EYEPIECE GRATICULE

Objective Power Graticule Stage (1 division = 0.1 millimeters)

Divisions Millimeters

X4 59 15 1.5

X10

X40

X100

CALCULATIONS:

1 division = 0.1 millimeters on Stage micrometer

15 divisions = X millimeter

X = 0.1*15

= 1.5 mm

15 divisions on the stage = to 59 divisions on the graticule

∴ 1.5 mm = 59 divisions on the graticule

X mm = 1 division on the graticule

X = 1.5/59

=0.025 mm

1 division = 25 µm at a magnification of X40

PRECAUTIONS:

● The microscope was held properly

● All safety precautions for electrical equipment were followed: e.g. all conductive material was

removed from the workspace

SOURCES OF ERROR:

● Parallax error when viewing the stage micrometer through the eyepiece graticule

● Random error when counting the divisions on the stage micrometer and graticule
DISCUSSION:

The eyepiece graticule is a disc placed in the eyepiece with 100 divisions, this has no scale. To know

what the divisions equal at each magnification the eyepiece graticule is calibrated to the stage

micrometer at each magnification. A stage micrometer is simply a microscope slide with a scale

etched on the surface. A typical micrometer scale is 2 mm long and at least part of it should be etched

with divisions of 0.01 mm.

REFLECTION:

With this lab, I have learned how to accurately calibrate a light microscope as well as collect data that

will help me draw and find the magnification of cells through the microscope.

CONCLUSION:

In this lab, the light microscope’s graticule was calibrated.