Light microscope

A light microscope allows cells to be observed directly, but an observation is scientifically useful only if it is recorded clearly. In this required practical, you use a light microscope to observe a selection of plant and animal cells, then make labelled drawings that include a magnification scale.

A light microscope passes visible light through a thin specimen and uses lenses to form a larger image. In this core practical, you prepare slides, use a light microscope to observe biological specimens, identify visible structures, calculate magnification and record observations as labelled scientific drawings. You should examine both plant and animal cells rather than relying only on ready-made slides.

A light microscope passes visible light through a thin specimen and uses lenses to produce a larger image. This lets us observe the shapes and arrangements of cells and some of their internal structures.

Under a light microscope, the rust's spores appear roughly spherical, orange and grainy. Those microscopic features can be recorded in a labelled drawing and compared with reference information or a key. This illustrates how field observations can detect possible disease while laboratory examination helps identify its cause.