I dont know how to use a microscope and im starting micro biology this week in college! help!?

Question

im fresh out of high school, never used a microscope, and now im starting micro biology and dont know how to use a microscope! help me! i dont know what to do! everyone else in my class knew what to do and i had no clue! and this is an introductory class, so i assumed no one would know anything! what do i do? the professor looked at me like i was the dumbest person on earth when i told him i wasnt good with microscopes and he just walked off!!!!

Answer 1

   1 . Make sure all backpacks are out of the aisles before you get a microscope! Always carry the microscope with one hand on the Arm and one hand on the Base. Carry it close to your body.

    2. Remove the cover, plug the microscope in, and place the excess cord on the table! If you let the excess cord dangle over the edge, your knee could get caught on it, and the next sound you hear will be a very expensive crash.

    3. Always start and end with Low Power! The Green means GO! -- “Go ahead and put the slide on the stage.” “Go ahead and use the Coarse focus k**b.” “Go ahead and remove the slide from the stage.” “Go ahead and put the microscope away.”

    NOTE: Some of the colors may be different on your Microscope.

    4. Place the slide on the microscope stage, with the specimen directly over the center of the glass circle on the stage (directly over the light). Then you have a 9 out of 10 chance of finding the specimen as soon as you look through the eyepiece!

    NOTE: If you wear glasses, take them off; if you see only your eyelashes, move closer.   Be sure to close, or cover your other eye!!

    NOTE: If you see a dark line that goes part way accross the field of view, try turning the eyepiece.  That dark line is a pointer that will be very valuable when you want to point out something to your lab partner, or your teacher!

    5. If, and ONLY if, you are on LOW POWER, lower the objective lens to the lowest point, then focus using first the coarse k**b, then the fine focus k**b. The specimen will be in focus when the LOW POWER objective is close to the lowest point, so start there and focus by slowly raising the lens. If you can’t get it at all into focus using the coarse k**b, then switch to the fine focus k**b.

    6. Adjust the Diaphragm as you look through the Eyepiece, and you will see that MORE detail is visible when you allow in LESS light!  Too much light will give the specimen a washed-out appearance. TRY IT OUT!!

    7. Once you have found the specimen on Low Power (100x), unless specifically asked to draw it on low power, center the specimen in your field of view, then, without changing the focus k***s, switch it to High Power. If you don’t center the specimen you will lose it when you switch to High Power (Yellow). [See Above]

    NOTE: Some of the colors may be different on your Microscope. Write the correct color next to the sentence above.

    8. Once you have it on High Power remember that you only use the fine focus k**b! The Yellow means CAUTION! -- “Caution, use only the fine focus k**b.” “Caution, do not remove the slide when it is on High Power.” -- The High Power Objective (430x) is very close to the slide. Use of the coarse focus k**b will scratch the lens, and crack the slide. More expensive sounds . . .

    9. NEVER USE THE RED LENS. The Red Means STOP!! -- “Stop! Don’t use that lens!” -- It is an oil immersion lens. Without the oil to lubricate the lens, you will destroy it! More expensive sounds . . . Also, the oil is needed to help gather enough light to actually see through the lens!