Name: Joacquine Antonio B.

Aratea Date Performed: ______________

Group No.: ______________________________ Date Submitted: 28/09/2022
Section: Benevolence Rating: _____________________

The Compound Microscope

Introduction

The compound microscope is an optical instrument that enables one to see clearly
the structures that are too small to be seen by the naked eye. It is made up of systems of
lenses in varying magnifications. A set of lenses is in the ocular or eyepiece; the other set is
in the objectives. Combination of these lenses increases the size of the object being viewed,
hence, the magnifying power of the microscope.

Another attribute of the compound microscope is its revolving power. It is the ability
to separate objects and to show them in distinct views, thereby showing clear contrast
between them and producing visible image and sharp details.

A microscope is an expensive but a very essential tool in scientific studies. It must be

used with care.

Objective/s

Familiarize oneself with the compound microscope, its, parts, and functions
Explain the importance of the use of a compound microscope

Materials

compound microscope
pen and paper
reference materials such as biology books and Internet

Procedure

Guided by the following text, familiarize yourself with the compound microscope and
its parts. These are grouped into three: the mechanical parts which hold the structure
together and control their use; the optical and the illuminating parts which regulate the light
rays including the formation of the images. Study the movable parts and see how each
functions.

After familiarizing the different parts, draw the microscope and label it.
A. Mechanical Parts
1. Horseshoe base- the part that supports the whole microscope
2. Pillar- the part that extends upwards from the base to support all the other parts,
and to hold the stage
3. Inclination hinge or joint- the portion that allows tilting of the microscope at a
desired angle
4. Stage- the part where the object to be examined is placed
5. Stage clips- hold the slide securely in position
6. Arm- supports the body tube and primarily serves as a means for carrying the
microscope
7. Body tube- the cylinder that bears the objectives at the lower end and the
eyepiece at the upper portion
8. Draw tube- a small tube attached above the body tube wherein the ocular or the
eyepiece is placed
9. Adjustments- the wheels that raise or lower the tube
a. coarse adjustment- changes the elevation of the tube rapidly for
preliminary
focusing
b. fine adjustment- permits gradual changes in the elevation on the tube for
final accurate focusing
10. Dust shield- the circular disc above the revolving nosepiece to protect the
objectives
from dust particles
11. Revolving nosepiece- carries the objectives and turns them

B. Optical Parts
1. Ocular or eyepiece- a small tube consisting of lenses that indicate the relative
power
of magnification
2. Objectives- refer to the cylindrical tubes attached to the revolving nosepiece for
Initial magnification of the image
a. Low Power Objective- views the specimen in a larger field.
b. High Power Objective- obtains greater magnification and views detailed
structures of the specimen
c. Oil Immersion Objective- obtains greater magnification than HPO.
In using this, a drop of oil is placed on the slide for better refraction

C. Illuminating Parts d
1. Mirror- it reflects light rays through the object. One side of the mirror is plain
(used with natural light); the other is concave (used with artificial light)
2. Sub- stage- the part used primarily for focusing light rays upon the specimen
a. Irish diaphragm- made up of a number of thin pieces of metal operated
by a lever used for regulating the amount of light
necessary to obtain a clear view of the specimen
b. Condenser- lens or series of lenses mounted in substage attachment for
the purpose of concentrating light upon the object to
be examined. Condensers are valuable with high
power objectives and oil-immersion objectives
Drawing (with Label)

Post-Laboratory Question/s

1. Why is the use of microscope important in the field of Biology?

Because biology is study of living organisms, some organisms are small that can only be
seen in magnifications of 40x to 1000x, which can only be done with use of a microscope.
Adapted from the Laboratory Manual in Zoology (General Zoology 1) by Priscilla V. San Pedro, Ed. D.