How did the position of the letter E appear to change when it was viewed through the microscope?

• PART D - Focusing the Microscope

  Letter "e" under low power and high power.

  Inhaltsverzeichnis Show

  • Microscope Lab
  • How does the position of the letter E as seen through the microscope?
  • How did the position of the E appear to change when it was viewed through the microscope?
  1. How does the position or movement of an object change when viewed under the compound microscope?
     The position is reversed.

  2. If an organism swims to the left on the slide, which way will it swim as you view it through the microscope?
     To the right.

     If it swims down, which way will it appear to swim?
     Up.

  3. When you switch from low to high power, explain what changes occur for each of the following for the letter "e":
     1. The position of the specimen:
        should not change - you should see just a smaller portion of the letter.
     2. The size of the field of view:
        smaller field of view.
     3. The amount of available light:
        less light is available - letter appears dimmer.
     4. The proportion of the specimen that can be seen:
        less of the specimen is visible.

• PART E - Depth of Field p. 48

  Colored Threads: High Power (400X)

  Hydra: High Power (400X)

• PART F - Measuring the Field of View (convert mm to µm) p. 48

  Low (100x) 1.5 mm = 1,500 µm
  High 400x) 0.4 mm = 400 µm
  

  Width of Letter "e" LP: 0.9 mm = 900 µm
  Width of Hydra Body Stalk LP: 0.10 mm = 100 µm
  Width of Hydra Tentacle LP: 0.02 mm = 20 µm

  Problem:
  The diagram below allows you to determine the diameter of the field of view of a microscope at 100X.

  

  Diameter at 100X = 1.6 mm or 1,600 µm
  

  Diameter at 400x = 0.4 mm or 400 µm
  

  If 4 amoebas fit across the field of view of the same microscope at 400X, what is the approximate size of one amoeba?

  Field of view at low power is about 1.6 mm.
  Field of view at high power is about 1.6 mm / 4 = 0.4 mm.
  Size of one amoeba: 0.4 mm / 4 = 0.1 mm = 100 µm.

Microscope Lab

Microscopy - Teacher's Guide
SED 695B; Fall 2005

Topics addressed

7. Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting careful investigations. As a basis for understanding this concept and addressing the content in the other three strands, students should develop their own questions and perform investigations. Students will:

a. Select and use appropriate tools and technology (including calculators, computers, balances, spring scales, microscopes, and binoculars) to perform tests, collect data, and display data.

This lab is designed as an introduction to microscope use and microscopy for middle school students. We have included two activities. One of them is an activity that uses slides that the students create themselves using newsprint and the letter"e". Getting the students comfortable with microscope usage is often the most difficult part of this activity. It is very important that they understand how to use the microscope and how it works. There is a diagram link below. Have the students study this diagram so that they know the parts, which objective to use. It is very important that the students don't focus to close to the slide with the high power objective, as this can permanently damage the lens.

Study Guide:

This activity should be done using the low power objective

1. This activity works best with newsprint.

2. With your scissors cut out the letter "e" from the newsprint.
3. Place it on the glass slide so it looks like (e).

4. Place a cover slip over the letters.

5. Using the low power objective focus on the letter. Make some general observations about

Microscope Diagram

History of the microscope

Microscope Information

Questions:

1. Did the letter appear in the same orientation when viewed through the microscope as viewed without the microscope?

2. When you move the slide to the right what direction does it appear to move under the microscope?

3. What happened to the image when you switched objectives?

What are you looking at? Try your luck with the images. Guess what you are looking at then put your cursor on the image.

Apple

Orange

Finger tip

Paper

Cardboard

Gum

Shirt

References & Links:

Using the Microscope

History of the Microscope

Microscope Intro

How does the position of the letter E as seen through the microscope?

How did the position of the E appear to change when it was viewed through the microscope?