microscopy

• Light microscopes


  Can be used to look at cells, lets us see large subcellular structures and textures like mitochondria
• Electron microscopes


  Have higher resolution, show more detail, have higher magnification than light microscopes, can see smaller things like ribosomes and plasmids
• Electron microscopes were created after light microscopes
• Magnification


  Refers to the size of the image
• How to prepare a slide

  1. Add drop of water in middle

  2. Cut current size of clear slide

  3. Use tweezers to peel off some epidermal tissue from bottom leaf

  4. Place skin into water on slide

  5. Add a drop of iodine solution (stain to make cells coloured)

  6. Cover with cover slip
• Using a light microscope

  1. Clip slide onto stage

  2. Look at slide with lowest magnification

  3. Move stage up and down until image is clearly in focus

  4. Select the objective lens

  5. Use course adjustment knob to bring stage down until image is in focus

  6. Use fine adjustment to get a clearer, bigger image
• Objective lens allows you to see a wider, higher magnification view of the slide