Observation, Pre Lab 1

If your TA cant read it, it is wrong. 5 points total. Turn this in online before class.
1. When you hear the word observation, what do you think it means? Give me your
best definition. (1 point)
When I hear the word observation, I think of examining an object/substance/living
organism, specific area, etc. and trying my best to describe how this specific thing looks
and what it would feel like. Also, depending on what it was, on how it would taste,
smell, and lastly what it could possibly sound like.
2. What do you do if you do not know how to use a piece of equipment in lab? (.5
points)
First, I would ask my lab partners if they knew how to use this specific object and
if they didnt know I would ask the TA.
3. Which lens do you use with oil? Why? (.5 point)
We would use the 100X oil immersion lens because the light travels through the
lens differently than through the air.
4. Which objective lens is the furthest distance away from the slide when it is in focus
(4X, 10X, 40X or 100X)? Explain your reasoning. (.5 points)
The 4X lens is the furthest away from the slide because it enlarges the relative
diameter of the field but .
5. Which objective lens has the smallest field of view when it is in focus (4X, 10X, 40X
or 100X)? Explain your reasoning. (.5 points)
The 100X lens would have the smallest field of view because its focus is very
close to the slide and which increases how zoomed in it would be on the object
on the slide.

This lab prep page is due prior to the beginning of class and must be submitted online
to the appropriate assignment (eLearning). No exceptions.
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6. Explain in a short paragraph or two what you will be doing today. Feel free to use
visuals/pictures if it helps you explain and prepare. Also, comment on expected
outcomes from performing the laboratory (i.e. what do you think we want you to
learn by doing this laboratory session). (2 points)
In this lab, we will be instructed and talked to about the activities/experiments that will
be done. Mainly, we will be observing many slides and sketching what we see through
the microscope. Also, we will be looking for the nucleus and the mitochondria and
sketching what we observe. Next, we will observe a plant cell and sketch the most
accurate image of what we see through the different types of lenses.
Following the plant cell observation, we will observe three of the four live unicellular
organisms. Then we will sketch the images and label the names, similarities, and
differences of the three. Lastly, we will be given two unknowns and asked to observe
them. We are to decide if the unknowns are either a prokaryote/eukaryote, an organelle
or not, and guess the identity of each unknown.

This lab prep page is due prior to the beginning of class and must be submitted online
to the appropriate assignment (eLearning). No exceptions.
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