Which part of the microscope is used to control the amount of light that comes through the specimen?

Even if you’ve used a microscope in the past, you may have trouble remembering the proper name for each part of your microscope.

In this article we list eachpart of a microscope and its function so that you can better understand what each piece of your microscope is called, and what function it will perform in the lab.

While some advanced, high-powered microscopes may have additional functions and features, this list contains the most common microscope parts and pieces.

List of Parts of a Microscope (and their function)

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Microscope Eyepiece or Ocular Lens
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Located at the top of the microscope, the eyepiece is the lens assembly closest to your eye. It’s the part of your microscope that you will look through to study objects and specimens. The eyepiece or ocular lens of a light microscope usually has a magnification level of 10x or 15x, but this can vary depending upon the microscope that you buy. Some microscope eyepieces have an adjustable magnification level.

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Microscope Tube

The tube of your microscope might also be referred to as the microscope’s body. It is the piece which connects the eyepiece to the objective lens(es).

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Microscope Base

The bottom piece of the microscope which provides support and stability for the microscope on your desk or tabletop is called the microscope base.

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Microscope Nosepiece

Also known as the microscope turret, the revolving nosepiece of your microscope holds the different objective lenses just above the specimen you’re examining. This part of your microscope allows you to rotate the lenses and choose the magnification level which is most appropriate for your application.

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Microscope Objective Lens(es)
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Some microscopes will have a single objective lens, while others may have three or four rotating objective lenses which vary in magnification power, giving you the ability to examine your specimen at different levels of magnification. Generally the shortest objective lens will be the lowest power, and the longest objective lens will provide the greatest magnification level.

Microscope Stage

Just like in the theater – you’ll see what’s on stage! With a microscope the stage is the name for the flat platform below the objective lens(es) where you’ll place your slide for viewing.
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Stage Clip

Most microscopes have stage clips, which are used to secure your microscope slide to the stage for observation.
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Microscope Arm

This is the part of a microscope which connects the microscope tube to the base of the microscope. Usually it’s curved slightly.
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Coarse Focus Knob (or Coarse Adjustment Knob)

The coarse focus knob makes it easier to adjust the height of the objective over greater distances than the fine focus knob, zooming in and out quickly to find the right level for observation. Usually the low-powered objective lens is used when making coarse adjustments with this knob.
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Fine Focus Knob (or Fine Adjustment Knob)

The fine focus knob gives you more control in adjusting the height of the objective over smaller distances, helping you bring the specimen into focus at higher magnifications.
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Microscope Diaphragm

Your microscope diaphragm is the part which helps to control the amount of light which is passed through the opening in the stage. This allows you to control the amount of light which passes through your specimen to get the proper conditions for observation and analysis.

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Power Switch

This is the switch on your microscope which turns the main power on or off, providing illumination for your observations and analysis.

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Microscope Condenser

On a microscope, the condenser is the part of the microscope which focuses light on the specimen you’re observing. On high-end microscopes or anytime you’re observing a specimen at a magnification level above 400x, condensers are very important as they provide the ability to observe a sharper image when compared to microscopes which do not have a condenser.

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Learn how to use your microscopy knowledge to become free.

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I hope you've found this basic list of microscope parts and their function to be helpful. Now you might be thinking,

Where did this all start? Who invented this incredible instrument?

We've got your covered!

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