Midterm Lab Practical Learning Outcomes
Can you:
a. Describe the basic safety precautions that should be taken in a laboratory setting?
i. Lab attire
ii. Do’s and Don’ts
2. Measure the weight of a solid or liquid substance?
3. Correctly measure the volume of a liquid?
4. Correctly measure length in metric units?
5. Measure temperature (in Celsius)?
6. Identify the freezing point and boiling point of water (in metric units)?
7. Do metric conversions without a “cheat sheet” of the conversion factors?
8. Distinguish between different laboratory glassware?
9. Identify the correct test to use to identify different macromolecules?
10. Know what a positive and negative reaction looks like for the different macromolecule tests?
11. Understand the role of positive and negative controls in experimental design?
12. Define pH and explain the pH scale?
13. Explain the relationship between pH and H+ concentration?
14. Identify the difference in H+ concentration of two substances with different pH’s?
15. Define buffer and identify a solution with the best buffering capacity (if provided data)?
A buffer is a solution that resists changes in pH upon the addition of a small amount of
strong acid or strong base.
16. Identify the different parts of a microscope?
Head/Body houses the optical parts in the upper part of the microscope
Base of the microscope supports the microscope and houses the illuminator
Arm connects to the base and supports the microscope head. It is also used to carry
the microscope.
Eyepiece or Ocular is what you look through at the top of the microscope. Typically,
standard eyepieces have a magnifying power of 10x. Optional eyepieces of varying
powers are available, typically from 5x-30x.
, Eyepiece Tube holds the eyepieces in place above the objective lens. Binocular microscope
heads typically incorporate a diopter adjustment ring that allows for the possible
inconsistencies of our eyesight in one or both eyes. The monocular (single eye usage)
microscope does not need a diopter. Binocular microscopes also swivel (Interpupillary
Adjustment) to allow for different distances between the eyes of different individuals.
Objective Lenses are the primary optical lenses on a microscope. They range from 4x-100x and
typically, include, three, four or five on lens on most microscopes. Objectives can be forward
or rear-facing.
Nosepiece houses the objectives. The objectives are exposed and are mounted on a rotating
turret so that different objectives can be conveniently selected. Standard objectives include
4x, 10x, 40x and 100x although different power objectives are available.
Coarse and Fine Focus knobs are used to focus the microscope. Increasingly, they are coaxial
knobs - that is to say they are built on the same axis with the fine focus knob on the outside.
Coaxial focus knobs are more convenient since the viewer does not have to grope for a
different knob.
Stage is where the specimen to be viewed is placed. A mechanical stage is used when working
at higher magnifications where delicate movements of the specimen slide are required.
Stage Clips are used when there is no mechanical stage. The viewer is required to move the
slide manually to view different sections of the specimen.
Aperture is the hole in the stage through which the base (transmitted) light reaches the stage.
Illuminator is the light source for a microscope, typically located in the base of the
microscope. Most light microscopes use low voltage, halogen bulbs with continuous variable
lighting control located within the base.
Condenser is used to collect and focus the light from the illuminator on to the specimen. It is
located under the stage often in conjunction with an iris diaphragm.
Iris Diaphragm controls the amount of light reaching the specimen. It is located above the
condenser and below the stage. Most high quality microscopes include an Abbe condenser
with an iris diaphragm. Combined, they control both the focus and quantity of light applied to
the specimen.
Condenser Focus Knob moves the condenser up or down to control the lighting focus on the
specimen.
17. Calculate the total magnification at a given objective?
To figure the total magnification of an image that you are viewing through the
microscope is really quite simple. To get the total magnification take the power
of the objective (4X, 10X, 40x) and multiply by the power of the eyepiece,
usually 10X.
18. Distinguish between an animal and plant cell?
Can you:
a. Describe the basic safety precautions that should be taken in a laboratory setting?
i. Lab attire
ii. Do’s and Don’ts
2. Measure the weight of a solid or liquid substance?
3. Correctly measure the volume of a liquid?
4. Correctly measure length in metric units?
5. Measure temperature (in Celsius)?
6. Identify the freezing point and boiling point of water (in metric units)?
7. Do metric conversions without a “cheat sheet” of the conversion factors?
8. Distinguish between different laboratory glassware?
9. Identify the correct test to use to identify different macromolecules?
10. Know what a positive and negative reaction looks like for the different macromolecule tests?
11. Understand the role of positive and negative controls in experimental design?
12. Define pH and explain the pH scale?
13. Explain the relationship between pH and H+ concentration?
14. Identify the difference in H+ concentration of two substances with different pH’s?
15. Define buffer and identify a solution with the best buffering capacity (if provided data)?
A buffer is a solution that resists changes in pH upon the addition of a small amount of
strong acid or strong base.
16. Identify the different parts of a microscope?
Head/Body houses the optical parts in the upper part of the microscope
Base of the microscope supports the microscope and houses the illuminator
Arm connects to the base and supports the microscope head. It is also used to carry
the microscope.
Eyepiece or Ocular is what you look through at the top of the microscope. Typically,
standard eyepieces have a magnifying power of 10x. Optional eyepieces of varying
powers are available, typically from 5x-30x.
, Eyepiece Tube holds the eyepieces in place above the objective lens. Binocular microscope
heads typically incorporate a diopter adjustment ring that allows for the possible
inconsistencies of our eyesight in one or both eyes. The monocular (single eye usage)
microscope does not need a diopter. Binocular microscopes also swivel (Interpupillary
Adjustment) to allow for different distances between the eyes of different individuals.
Objective Lenses are the primary optical lenses on a microscope. They range from 4x-100x and
typically, include, three, four or five on lens on most microscopes. Objectives can be forward
or rear-facing.
Nosepiece houses the objectives. The objectives are exposed and are mounted on a rotating
turret so that different objectives can be conveniently selected. Standard objectives include
4x, 10x, 40x and 100x although different power objectives are available.
Coarse and Fine Focus knobs are used to focus the microscope. Increasingly, they are coaxial
knobs - that is to say they are built on the same axis with the fine focus knob on the outside.
Coaxial focus knobs are more convenient since the viewer does not have to grope for a
different knob.
Stage is where the specimen to be viewed is placed. A mechanical stage is used when working
at higher magnifications where delicate movements of the specimen slide are required.
Stage Clips are used when there is no mechanical stage. The viewer is required to move the
slide manually to view different sections of the specimen.
Aperture is the hole in the stage through which the base (transmitted) light reaches the stage.
Illuminator is the light source for a microscope, typically located in the base of the
microscope. Most light microscopes use low voltage, halogen bulbs with continuous variable
lighting control located within the base.
Condenser is used to collect and focus the light from the illuminator on to the specimen. It is
located under the stage often in conjunction with an iris diaphragm.
Iris Diaphragm controls the amount of light reaching the specimen. It is located above the
condenser and below the stage. Most high quality microscopes include an Abbe condenser
with an iris diaphragm. Combined, they control both the focus and quantity of light applied to
the specimen.
Condenser Focus Knob moves the condenser up or down to control the lighting focus on the
specimen.
17. Calculate the total magnification at a given objective?
To figure the total magnification of an image that you are viewing through the
microscope is really quite simple. To get the total magnification take the power
of the objective (4X, 10X, 40x) and multiply by the power of the eyepiece,
usually 10X.
18. Distinguish between an animal and plant cell?
