The Onion Peel Cell: Lab Group NO.

: ____

Name: ______________________________________
Grade, Strand and Section: _____________________

MATERIAL
Red onion Cover slips
Microscopes (per group) Forceps/ tyani
Microscope slides Worksheet

PROCEDURE
Preparing the wet mount slide of onion skin
1. Break an onion slice in two.
2. Carefully pull the slice apart.
3. Use forceps/ tyani to pull off a very thin piece of onion skin (the thinner, the better)
4. Place the skin in the center of the slide. Try to keep it from folding; get it as flat as
possible.
5. Add a drop of water to the onion skin and cover with a cover slip.
6. Press the cover slip down carefully to remove any air bubbles.
7. Place the slide on the stage of the microscope, set it to low power, adjust the focus
so the onion slice is clear.
9. Switch to higher power and try to identify the cell membrane, nucleus, and
cytoplasm.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS (write your answer at the back of this paper)

1. What is the general shape of the onion cells?
2. Describe what you saw without the stain.
3. Why do you think there are many cells close together?
4. Is the onion skin composed of one cell or many cells?
5. All plant cells have cell walls. What is the function of the cell wall?
6. Count the number of cells that are seen in the field of view under low power
magnification and also under higher magnification. Compare the number of cells
observed in each field of view.

The Onion Cell: Observations

Onion Cell: Low Power Onion Cell: High Power