Required Practical 1: Light Microscopy

Required Practical 1: Light Microscopy

Equipment and Setup

• Light microscope with x4, x10, x40 objective lenses
• Prepared slides (plant cells, animal cells)
• Glass slides and coverslips
• Mounting medium or water
• Ruler or stage micrometer

Method

1. Place slide on stage and secure with clips
2. Start with lowest magnification (x4 objective)
3. Use coarse focus to get approximate focus
4. Switch to higher magnifications and use fine focus
5. Observe and draw cells, noting key features
6. Measure cells using stage micrometer

Microscopy Calculations

Drawing Guidelines

• Use pencil and draw clear, continuous lines
• Draw what you see, not what you know should be there
• Include scale and magnification
• Label clearly with straight lines
• No shading or sketchy lines