Using Microscopes to examine cells

• Making a slide of plant cells


  1. Peel a small section of onion tissue and place on the centre of a microscope slide

  2. Add water using a drop pipette to the onion tissue to stop it drying out

  3. Gently lower a coverslip onto the onion tissue

  4. Set the slide onto the stage of the microscope and examine using low power first and then high power
• Making a slide of animal cells


  1. Using your nail or an inter-tooth brush, gently scrape the inside of your cheek

  2. Smear the material gathered onto the centre of a microscope slide

  3. Carefully lower a coverslip on top

  4. Observe using a light microscope; first at low power, then using high power
• Coverslip


  • It should be lowered one end first on to the onion tissue, to avoid trapping air bubbles
• What you may see in onion cells under a microscope

  • Cell walls
  • Cytoplasm
  • Nuclei (if stained, with iodine for example)
  • Vacuole
• Plant cells


  • They are much more regularly shaped than animal cells
  • They are usually much larger as well
• Using a microscope


  • Always use low power first
  • You can see more at low power - there is a greater field of view
  • It is easier to focus at low power than high power
• Label the Microscope