How to Use a Compound Microscope

Compound microscopes are much more powerful than traditional microscopes. Where traditional microscopes are able to magnify objects between 100 and 300 times their actual sizes, compound microscopes increase this magnification to 1,000 to 2,000 times. The greatly increased magnification ability is achieved through the use of multiple lenses. If you are interested in seeing intricate detail in very tiny objects, you should learn how to use a compound microscope.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Flat slides
• Well slides
• Compound microscope
• Medicine dropper
• Cover slips

1. Choose a clean, dust-free place to put your microscope. Ideally, this place will include a hard, flat surface. Make sure there is an electrical outlet nearby, so you can plug in your microscope.
2. Turn on your microscope's light.
3. Turn the diaphragm of the microscope completely clockwise, opening the lens. Continue to turn the diaphragm until the lens has opened as much as it can.
4. Prepare a slide for viewing.
5. Place the prepared slide on the microscope's viewing tray.
6. Look through the microscope's eyepiece at the specimen on your slide.
7. Focus on your specimen by turning the large focus knob on the microscope until you get a clear, overall view of your specimen.
8. Zoom in on the tiny, intricate details of your specimen by turning the small focus knob. Keep turning until the small details appear clear and sharp.
9. Turn the diaphragm counter-clockwise, shrinking the opening to the lens. Keep doing this until the level of light hitting the specimen is satisfactory to your eyes.
10. Rotate the lenses on the microscope to achieve greater degrees of magnification. Each lens on a compound microscope has different magnification levels. You will need to adjust your large and small focus knobs each time you change lenses.

Tips & Warnings

• Most compound microscopes have a rotating disc from which the lenses hang. To change lenses, all you need to do is turn the disc until a new lens is directly over your specimen.
• You can use both flat slides and well slides to view objects through a compound microscope. Because well slides are strictly for liquid specimens, you'll need to keep a medicine dropper handy for sucking up and depositing liquid specimens on the slides.
• You can view extremely tiny objects through a compound microscope. Plant and animal cells, microbes and dust particles are some of the types of objects that can be seen in fine detail through a compound microscope.

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