4. Identify: a. three similarities between plant and animal cells b. three differences between plant and animal cells Use a Venn diagram to illustrate your answer.
The light microscope
As cells are tiny, they are difficult to study. A light microscope is a piece of laboratory equipment that allows biologists to study organelles by passing a beam of light through cells. The sample of cells studied under a microscope is called a specimen.
The parts of a light microscope Base: keeps the microscope stable. Stage and stage clips: holds the slide in place. Light source: a built-in light bulb or mirror that lights up the specimen. Diaphragm: controls the amount of light passing through the specimen. Objective lens: magnifies the specimen by different factors (× 4, × 10, × 40). Eyepiece lens: magnifies the specimen, usually by a factor of 10 (× 10). Coarse focus wheel: brings the image into rough focus. Fine focus wheel: brings the image into sharp focus.
CONCENTRATE! Always start the objective lens on the lowest factor.
Always adjust the coarse focus wheel before adjusting the fine focus wheel.
Coarse focus wheel Fine focus wheel
Base : Fig. 3.5 A light microscope 20 Elements of Science