Observing very small specimens

Some specimens that you observe in biology will be so small that you cannot see them with the naked eye. In these cases you will need a much more powerful microscope, called the compound microscope. This microscope can magnify between X40 and X400. To magnify as much we need bigger lenses and more light.

Using the compound microscope

Some microscopes may have a mirror instead of a lamp underneath. To get light into the microscope a bench lamp is reflected into the mirror.

• Observing in Biology Homepage
• Calculating the magnification on a compound microscope
• Making a slide with a coverslip
• Looking at the slide using the microscope
• Question on the use of the Microscope
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© Shirley Burchill 2009