1200X Microscope Manual
How do I observe the specimen?
Sitting in your location with adequate illumi-
nation chosen from the color filter wheel, the
following basic rules should be observed:
Start with a simple observation at the lowest
magnification. Position the object or speci-
men in the middle of the stage under the sta-
ge clips (Fig. 4), centered over the lower light
(Fig. 8). Focus the image by rotating the fo-
cus knob (Fig. 2) until a clear image appears
in the eyepiece.
NOTE:
The higher the magnification, the
more light you will require for a good image
quality.
Quick Fact - The item you want to observe
with the microscope is known as the object
or specimen.
Place the prepared slide directly under the
objective on the microscope stage (Fig. 3)
securing with the stage clips (Fig. 4). The
prepared slide should be located direct-
ly over the lower illumination (Fig. 8). Look
through the eyepiece and carefully turn the
focus knob (Fig. 2) until the image appears
clear and sharp. Now you can select a hig-
her magnification by rotating the 30X/600X
objective turret (Fig. 7). Higher levels of ma-
gnification can be achieved by turning the
objective turret (Fig. 7) to a higher setting
(600x or 1200x). Following this procedure
creates a steady increase of magnification
without overpowering the view of the object.
The following magnifications should be con-
sidered: 300x, 600x, then 1200x.
Each time the magnification changes (due to
the objective change), the image sharpness
must be readjusted with the focus knob (Fig.
2). When doing this, be careful because if
you move the microscope stage too quickly,
the objective and the slide could come into
contact and cause damage to the slide or
microscope.
For transparent objects (e.g. protozoa), light
is projected by the lower light, traveling from
below the stage, through the objective and
eyepiece, and finally into your eye. This pro-
cess of light transmission is known as micro-
scopy. Many microorganisms found in water,
plant components, and the smallest animal
parts are transparent in nature. Opaque spe-
cimens, on the other hand, will need to be
prepared for viewing. Opaque specimens
can be made transparent by a process of
treatment and penetration with the correct
materials (media), or by slicing. You can read
more about creating specimens in the fol-
lowing experiment sections.
Cleaning Tips
To ensure your microscope has a long service
life. Clean the lens (objective and eyepiece)
with only a soft, lint-free cloth, like a microfi-
ber cloth. Do not press down too hard while
cleaning, as this might scratch the lens. Ask
your parents to help if your microscope is re-
ally dirty. The cleaning cloth should be mois-
tened with cleaning fluid and the lens wiped
clean using very little pressure. Make sure
your microscope is always protected against
dust and dirt. After use, leave it in a warm
room to dry off.
This microscope can be the gateway to a
fun, creative learning process and will open
the door to advanced knowledge of the world
around you. It will allow you to explore the va-
rious fields of science, from biology to botany
to chemistry and beyond, so have fun explo-
ring the exciting world of science.
Experiment Instructions
WARNING!
• Keep chemicals and corrosive liquids out of
the reach of children.
• Do not ingest any chemicals.
• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap un-
der running water after use.
Introduction
Here are a few tips about how to take a better
look at the wonderful world of microorganisms
and crystals. You will learn how to prepare
your object so that you can look at it with the
microscope. The numerous experiments de-
scribed should make you curious and want to
use your microscope more.
Objects to Observe
With a magnifying glass, you can look at non-
transparent (i.e. opaque) objects like small
animals, parts of plants and tissues. When
you use a magnifying glass, light falls onto
the object and is reflected back through the
magnifying lens and into your eye. With
your microscope, however, you can observe
transparent objects. The light from the lamp
goes through the opening on the stage and
through your prepared specimen. Then, it
passes through the objective, the body of the
microscope, and the eyepiece , and travels
into your eye. In this way, the microscope
is only meant for observing transparent ob-
jects. Many microorganisms in water, parts of
plants, and the tiniest animal parts are natu-
rally transparent. To observe opaque objects
under the microscope, we must make them
transparent. We may make them transpa-
rent through a treatment or penetration with
the right materials (media), or by taking the
thinnest slices from them (using our hand or
a specimen slicer), and then examine them.
Below you‘ll find out how to do this.
How to Produce Thin Specimen Slices
WARNING:
Only do this with an adult’s supervision.Ask
your parents to help you. As already men-
tioned, you need to get the thinnest slices
possible from an object so that they are
transparent and can be looked at under the
microscope. First, get a candle and place it
in an old pot, then heat it on the stovetop until
the wax becomes liquid. Now, use tweezers
to dip the object in the liquid wax a few times.
Be careful, the wax is very hot! After each
dip, allow the wax to harden before you dip
the object into the wax again. When the wax
around the object has hardened completely,
you can use the specimen slicer to cut it into
thin slices. Place these slices on a slide and
cover them with a cover slip.
The Production of Specimens
There are two basic types of specimens:
permanent specimens and short-term spe-
cimens.
Short-term Specimens
Short-term specimens are produced from
objects that you want to look at, but don’t
want to keep in your specimen collection.
These specimens are only meant to be ob-
served for a short period of time, after which
they are disposed of. For short-term speci-
mens, place the object on the slide and place
a cover slip on top of it. After looking at the
No recognizable image
No image
No light
Turn on light
Readjust focus
Start with the
lowest power objective (15X)
Center object on slide under
lowest power objective (15X)
Replace batteries
Check on/off position
Troubleshooting Table
Problem
Solution
Customer Service:
Call 1-866-252-3811
National Geographic’s net proceeds
support vital exploration, conservation,
research, and education programs.
4
