Virtual Microscopy Terminologies Flashcards
This specially-designed lens, with an iris-type aperture, and mounted under the stage, moves vertically to adjust the beam of light entering the lens system.
Abbe Condenser
Are used to correct the bending or refraction of light as it passes through the prisms or lenses in the microscope. It has different indexes of refraction to realign certain colors of light at the focal point, resulting in a much clearer image.
Achromatic lenses
Is the area of the microscope between the tube and the base.
Arm
This stand holds the microscope body, clamps to a table, and provides movement in three dimensions
Articulated arm
This features a head with two eyepiece lenses, one eyepiece for each eye
Binocular head
This refers to the main section of the microscope, minus the stand (base) or any illuminators. Generally includes the eyepiece and objective lenses, but not the focusing block.
Body
Is a n adapter for use with a video camera. In general, the lens from the camera is removed and replaced with an adapter which then connects to the trinocular port of the microscope
C-mount
The larger of two adjustments knobs that moves the objective lenses closer to, or further away from, the specimen in large steps.
Coarse Focus
This focusing system features the coarse and fine focus knob on a single rotation axis.
Coaxial Focus
Mounted in or below the stage, this lens focuses or “condenses” the light onto a specimen. Higher-powered objective lenses with smaller diameter require concentrated light to work properly. The use of this lens helps increase illumination and resolution.
Condenser Lens
Used on low-power microscopes, this circular opaque plate is placed on the stage, and can be flipped between a white or black side depending on the coloration of the specimen.
Contrast plate
Is a very thin square of plastic or glass used to cover the specimen on a slide. With a liquid sample, this assists with single-plane focusing by flattening out the liquid.
Cover slip
Most useful at higher powers, it is typically a five-hole disc housed under the stage that adjusts the amount of light passing through the stage opening.
Diaphragm
This German standard for the manufacture of microscope lenses features a uniform thread and works with a 160mm tube length.
DIN Optics
Used on microscopes with a binocular head, this adjustment allows each eyepiece to be focused independently to compensate for the difference in vision between your two eyes.
Diopter Adjustment
Generally found on high-power microscopes, this unit features a single eyepiece on one side and an additional eyepiece on the top or opposite side. These are useful for the teacher to verify a student’s view and they can also be used for video or camera work.
Dual Head
Also known as ocular lenses, are typically 10X, but also come in 5X, 15X, and 20X varieties. This is where you actually look through to see your specimen. The interocular distance is adjustable so that you can keep both eyes open when looking into the microscope.
Eyepiece Lens
The smaller of the two adjustment knobs moves the objective lens closer to, or farther away from, the specimen in very small steps. It can be used to fine-tune the focus on various parts of a specimen after first using the Coarse Focus to get close.
Fine Focus
Is the diameter of light visible when looking into the eyepiece lens.
Field of View
A type of stand used for low-power microscopes where the arm and body are integral parts and fixed firmly to the Base.
Fixed arm
The method by which the specimen’s distance to the objective lens is adjusted to provide a sharp image. Depending on the microscope, this adjustment will either be made by moving the stage or moving the tubes.
Focus
Upper portion of the microscope, contains the eyepiece tube or tubes and prisms.
Head
Various Heads are available, including:
Monocular Head (one eyepiece), Binocular Head (two eyepieces, one for each eye), Dual Head (two singular eyepieces), and Trinocular Head (two eyepieces with a third typically used for a camera)
This light source mounted underneath the stage commonly uses one of the three types of lights: tungsten (most common, cheapest)
Illuminator
A special oil is used exclusively with a 100X or higher objective lens, typically at 1000X total power. A drop of oil is placed on the cover slip with the objective lens lowered until it touches the drop. Acts as a bridge between the glass lens and the glass slide, this concentrates the path of the light to increase the resolution of the image.
Immersion Oil
Some microscopes feature a rotating arm pivot point that can be adjusted to allow for more comfortable viewing. The downside of adjusting the microscope is that wet samples may run off the slide.
Inclination joint
This adjustment allows the distance between the eyepiece lenses, found on stereo or binocular microscopes, to be set either closer or farther apart for more comfortable viewing.
Interpupillary Adjustment
A slide holder featuring two knobs that allow the slide position to be adjusted forwards or backwards from side to side. This is very useful when dealing with moving specimens like protozoans.
Mechanical stage
Is the metric linear measurement used for microscopy. At 1000 microns per millimeter, a 1.8mm long specimen can be expressed as 1,800 microns long.
Micrometer
This reflective surface directs light through the opening in the stage to illuminate a specimen.
Mirror
A microscope head featuring a single eyepiece lens.
Monocular Head
Also called as turret, this structure holds the objective lenses. Rotating it allows the objective lens to be switched
Revolving nosepiece
Important on high-power microscopes, this number is an expression of the lens’ ability to resolve fine detail in the observed object.
Numerical Aperture (N.A.)
The lens closest to the object being viewed. Scanning lens: 4X, LPO: 10X, HPO: 40X, OIO: 100X
Objective Lens
An objective lens, generally 100X or more, designed to work with a drop of immersion oil placed on the slide to increase the resolution of the lens.
Oil Immersion Lens
Controls the power to the microscope.
ON/OFF Switch
A microscope that is calibrated this way will maintain the specimen in the center of the view when the objective lens is rotated.
Parcentered
A microscope that is calibrated this way will maintain the specimen in focus when the objective lens is rotated.
Parfocal
Some microscopes feature a __________ that is visible when looking through the eyepiece lens. This can be rotated by turning the eyepieces around
Pointer
Typically used with low-power microscopes, this type of stand features a single post attached to the base allowing the body of the microscope to be rotated or adjusted vertically.
Post Stand
A lens system’s ability to resolve fine details of the observed object.
Resolution
This special grid pattern is inserted into the eyepiece lens for taking measurements of objects seen through the microscope.
Reticle
A separate light connected to the microscope body that produces a ring of light. An independent light that usually connects to the microscope body and gives off a ring of light.
Ring Light
This type of lens improves image quality by presenting a sharper image with less distortion in the perimeter of the field of view. It provides better image quality than standard achromatic lenses but is also more expensive.
Semi-Plan Lenses
This rectangular plate, made of either plastic or glass, is used to hold the specimen. It may also contain a depression or well to hold several drops of liquid
Slide
This mechanical device prevents gear damage to the microscope when the focus adjustment reaches its maximum travel
Slip clutch
This area is the main, flat surface that holds the slides for observation.
Stage
The mechanical stage allows for adjustment of the slide position forward, backward, and left or right
Stage Adjustment Knob
Are used to hold a slide in place
Stage clips
Found on low-power microscopes, this frosted circular glass plate fits in over the lower illuminator.
Stage Plate (see also Contrast Plate)
For low-power microscopes, there are typically three types of connections between the microscope body and the base including Post Stand Fixed Arm, and Universal Stand
Stand
When using two objectives slightly offset, the image is presented in 3D.
Stereo
This area is located directly below the stage itself.
Sub-stage
This type of adapter is useful for attaching still cameras to the microscope.
T-mount
A factory adjustment of the focusing mechanism that makes the microscope easy to focus, but tight enough to prevent the stage from drifting due to the weight of the stage or tube.
Tension Adjustment
This type of microscope features two eyepieces for viewing and a third for attaching a camera.
Trinocular Head
A long, boom-type arm used to support a (low-power) microscope body. It has many adjustments, allowing the microscope to be aligned in a wide variety of configurations. An external light source is used with this setup
Universal Stand
These wide-diameter eyepiece lenses offer a broader FOV when viewing a specimen
Widefield eyepiece lenses
This represents the magnification factor of a lens or view.
X
“XR”. In this notation, the X represents the ________________, while the R stands for “____________’. XR contain a single spring-loaded mechanism that allows them to telescope inward to prevent damage to the lens and slide in case of slide contact.
X: magnification of the lens
R: retractable
