Home Science Tools MI-20STERX Instruction Manual - page 3
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Hole for removing
stage plate
4. Locking knob: The binocular head is
mounted on a post and can be raised,
lowered, or turned 90º for off-stage viewing
by loosening the locking knob on the back of
the post.
5. Focus knob: This knob is used to raise or
lower the objective lens until the image is in
focus.
6. Top (incident) illuminator: This bulb-holder
holds the 10-watt tungsten bulb that
illuminates the specimen.
7. Objective lens: This is the lens closest to
the specimen. Its magnification of 2x
(20STERX) or 3x (30STERX) multiplies with
the 10x of the eyepieces to provide total
magnification of 20x or 30x, depending on
the model.
8. Stage: The stage is the platform that
supports the specimen below the objective
lens.
9. Stage clips: These clips can be used to
hold thin specimens in place.
10. Stage plate: The stage plate is reversible,
providing either a white or black background
to help you get the best contrast. Dark
specimens should be placed on the white
plate, while light specimens should be
placed on the black plate.
Operating Procedure
Now that you have an overview of what
each component on your microscope is for, you
can follow this step-by-step procedure to get
started using it.
Getting Started
1. Set your microscope on a tabletop or other
flat sturdy surface where you will have
plenty of room to work. Plug the
microscope’s power cord into an outlet,
making sure that the excess cord is out of
the way so no one can trip over it or pull it
off of the table.
2. Flip the switch to turn on your microscope's
light source.
Warning: The light can get very hot. Use
care touching the light housing during use.
Do not touch the lamp bulb directly.
3. Center a specimen on the stage plate. If the
specimen is light-colored, use the dark side
of your stage plate. To reverse the plate,
insert the small screwdriver (that came with
your microscope) into the hole on the front
of the stage and turn
until you are able to
pop the plate out.
Turn the plate over
and tighten it in place
with the screwdriver.
4. If your specimen is
thin and flat, or if its edges curl up easily,
use the stage clips to hold it in place. To do
this, pull up the pointed end of one stage clip
and slide it over one end of the specimen,
then do the same with the stage clip on the
other side. If your specimen is larger than
the stage plate, turn the stage clips out so
that they hang off the stage; this will give
you more room to work.
5. You may need to adjust the height of the
head in order to find a good working
distance between the specimen and the
objective lens. Do this by loosening the
locking knob, moving the head to the
appropriate position, and tightening the
locking knob. If you are viewing a very large
specimen, you may want to turn the head
90º and place your specimen directly on the
table.
6. Slowly turn the focus knob until the
specimen comes into view. Once you can
see the outline of the specimen, turn the
knob even more slowly until it is focused as
sharply as possible. Once you have
focused your specimen, you can move it
around to see other parts of it. You may
need to refocus slightly on each new area,
especially when the specimen surface is
uneven.
Note: with this microscope you will often be
viewing three-dimensional specimens that have
many different levels. You will not be able to
focus on every feature clearly at the same time.
Using the Binocular Head
To use the binocular head to the best
advantage, you must set the interpupillary
distance to match the distance between the
pupils of your eyes. You must also adjust the
diopter to compensate for focusing differences
between your two eyes. Each user of the
microscope must make these adjustments for
his or her own eyes. To do so, follow these
steps: