Arm
Used to carry the microscope, located between the body tube and the base.
Base
Supports the microscope; used to carry the microscope.
Body tube (head)
Supports the objective lens system and the ocular lens; directs light toward the ocular lens.
Coarse focus (adjustment)
Brings the specimen into focus by raising or lowering the stage; NEVER use the coarse focus on high power.
Condenser
Substage lens that concentrates light on the specimen; the condenser control knob will raise and lower the condenser to vary the light; the best position for the condenser is just below the opening in the stage.
Fine focus (adjustment)
Used for final focusing (fine-tuning the image)
Iris Diaphragm
Regulates the amount of light that passes through the stage; located at the base of the condenser.
Objective lenses
Magnify the specimen for viewing; scanning lens (red wing) magnifies 4x, low power lens (yellow ring) magnifies 10x, high power lens (blue ring) magnifies 40x, oil immersion lens (white ring) magnifies 100x
Ocular lens (eyepiece)
The lens (or lenses) you look through, magnifies the specimen 10x, monocular microscopes have one ocular lens, binocular microscopes have two ocular lens.
Revolving nosepiece
Contains the objective lenses, use nosepiece to rotate the correct objective lens into place over the opening in the stage.
Stage
Flat platform where the slide is placed for viewing
Stage clips
Hold the slide in place, two knobs below the stage control the precise movement of the specimen on a mechanical stage.
Substage light
Light source; a light dimmer dial on the base varies the intensity of the light source.