Light Microscopy Basics

Study Notes

Microscopes are used to magnify objects too small to be seen by the naked eye.
Microscopy is a technical field that uses microscopes and objectives to view samples in detail.
A microscope is a precision instrument with lenses that magnify images of small objects.
It uses a light source to make the object easier to see.

Microscopes are used to get a magnified image to see structures that cannot be seen with the unaided eye.
Magnification is the ratio of the size of an object seen under a microscope to its actual size.
Total magnification is calculated by multiplying the magnifying power of the objective lens with the eyepiece.

Diopter adjustment: Used to adjust focus on one eyepiece for vision correction.
Body tube (Head): Connects the eyepiece to the objective lenses.
Arm: Connects the body tube to the base.
Coarse adjustment: Brings the specimen into general focus.
Fine adjustment: Fine-tunes the focus and increases detail.
Nosepiece: Rotating turret that houses the objective lenses.
Specimen or slide: The object being examined, usually mounted on a flat glass slide.
Stage: Flat platform where the slide is placed.
Stage clips: Hold the slide in place.
Stage height adjustment: These knobs move the stage left/right or up/down.
Aperture: Hole in the stage that allows light to reach the specimen.
On/off switch: Turns the illuminator on or off.
Illumination: Light source used to illuminate the specimen.
Condenser: Gathers and focuses light from the illuminator onto the specimen.
Base: Supports the microscope and houses the illuminator.