How to buy the
Right Microscope

Activity: Viewing Solid Objects with your Compound Microscope

Background: You may want to look at things that can't fit on a microscope slide or that light won't pass through. To solve this problem without buying a stereo microscope, you can use your standard, light microscope with some minor adjustments:

1. First lower the stage to the bottom and lower the light condenser if your microscope has one.  Next cut a piece of cardboard to fit on your stage to protect the glass condenser lens and to keep your subject from falling through the condenser hole (if any).

2. You will need at least one light source, but two is better. A small, flexible lamp is useful to get the best light.  Flashlights can also be used, but they are difficult to keep from moving.

3. Next find something interesting to observe that will fit under the lens.  For a first try, use a penny.

4. Place the penny on the stage and focus with the 40X.  Look at the portrait, the back, and anything else you find interesting.  Next look at the bottom of Lincoln's suit in the lower left area of the penny.  Here are the original artist's initials. You will need to rotate the penny upside-down however, because the microscope inverts the image.  The artists' initials can also be found on the nickel and the dime in roughly the same location; I still haven't found them on the quarter.

5. For your next observation, remember to choose something pretty flat because you don't want to damage your scope. Some suggestions: stamps, baseball cards, or dollar bills (find the spider in the $1 bill!).  Also try whole insects and small rocks.

(Editors note:  This is an excellent activity which can open up your scope to a whole new level.  But please use a piece of cardboard on your stage (as recommended), and take special care when focusing that you do not ram the objective lens into your subject.  Your microscope was built in such a way so as to protect you from jamming the lens onto a slide, but objects viewed in the manner described above can not be compensated for.  As a result, we recommend adult supervision when viewing larger objects such as rocks)

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