Adjusting the Microscope

 

B. Setting up and adjusting the microscope.
1. To adjust your microscope for optimal viewing of a slide, make sure you understand how to control the following variables:
  • focus - adjusted with the coarse and fine focus knobs
  • brightness - adjusted with the illumination control and the condenser focusing knob
  • magnification and resolution - adjusted by selecting the appropriate lens
  • contrast - adjusted by opening or closing the condenser diaphragm. Click here to see examples of how the iris diaphragm affects contrast.
  • oil immersion - used only with specially designated lenses; involves placing a drop of immersion oil between the slide and the front of the objective lens

 

2. Adjust your microscope by following the following steps: go to step 1

 

| Cartoons by: Coral McCallister | Copyright by: Paul B. Bell, Jr. & Barbara Safiejko-Mroczka |

The University of Oklahoma

Version: 010507