Edu Science M1280X User Manual
BINOCULAR VIEWER MICROSCOPE
MICROSCOPE BINOCULAIRE
MICROSCOPIO DE VISOR BINOCULAR
1280
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M1280x Microscope Set
Supervision by Adults
Read and follow the instructions, safety
rules and first aid information.
This Microscope set is intented for
children over the age of 8 years.
Children should only use this device
under adult supervision. Never leave a
child unsupervised with this device.
Accessories in this experimental
kit may have sharp edges and tips.
Please store the device and all of its
accessories and aids out of the reach
of young children when not being used
due to a risk of INJURY.
This device contains electronic
components that are powered by
batteries. Batteries should be kept out
of children’s reach. When inser ting
batteries please ensure the polarity is
correct. Insert the batteries according to
the displayed +/- information.
Fire/Danger of Explosion!
Do not expose the device to high
temperatures. Use only battery types
recommended. Never mix old and
new batteries (replace all batteries
at the same time) Never mix Alkaline,
standard (Carbon Zinc) or rechargable
batteries. Never shor t circuit the
device or batteries or throw into a fire.
Exposure to high temperatures or
misuse of the device can lead to short
circuits, fire or even explosion! Leaking
or damaged batteries can cause injury
if they come into contact with the skin.
If you need to handle such batteries
please wear suitable safety gloves.
Chemicals
Any chemicals or liquids used in
preparing, using, or cleaning should be
kept out of reach of children. Do not
drink any chemicals! Hands should be
washed thoroughly under running water
after use. In case of accidental contact
with the eyes or mouth rinse with water.
Seek medical treatment for ailments
arising from contact with the chemical
substances and take the chemicals with
you to the doctor for treatment.
RISK of material damage
Never take the device apart. Please
contact our service center and send the
device in for repair as needed.
Do not subject the device to temperatures
exceeding 140º F.
TIPS on cleaning
Remove batteries from device before
cleaning.
Microscope Care
Clean the exterior of device with a dry
cloth. Do not use cleaning fluids so as
to avoid causing damage to electronic
components. Clean the lens (objective
and eyepiece) only with a soft lint-free
cloth (e.g. micro-fibre). Do not use
excessive pressure - this may scratch
the lens. Protect the device from dust
and moisture. Store the device in its
original packaging. Batteries should be
removed from the device if not used for
a long period of time.
DISPOSAL
Keep packaging materials (plastic bags,
rubber bands, etc.) away from children.
There is a risk of SUFFOCATION.
Dispose of the packaging materials
as legally required. Consult the local
authority on the matter if necessary.
DISPOSAL
Dispose of the packaging materials
properly, according to their type, such as
paper or cardboard. Contact your local
waste-disposal service or environmental
authority for information on the proper
disposal.
Please take the current legal regulations
into account when disposing of your
device. You can get more information on
the proper disposal from your local
waste-disposal service or environmental
authority.
Contents:
• Microscope
• Dark- eld condenser
• Cell phone adapter
• 5 Prepared glass slides
• Slide case
• 10 Blank glass slides
• 10 Slide covers
• 10 Labels
• 4 Collection vials
• Pipette
• Stainless steel tweezers
• Magnifying glass
• Graduated cylinder
• Shrimp hatchery
• Shrimp eggs
Product Manual Visit
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M1280x Microscope Set
The Parts of Your Microscope:
1 Microscope Arm
2 Stage
3 Metal Stage Clips
4 Coarse & Fine Focus Knob
5 Base with Battery Compartment
6 Top & Bottom LED Illumination
7 3-Position Illumination Switch
8 Color Filter Wheel
9 4x, 10x, 40x Objectives
10 Revolving Eyepiece Head
11 Condenser Light
12 Adjustable Binocular Head
13 Mobile Phone Holder
14 2 Interchangeable Eyepiece Sets
15 Soft Rubber Eye Cups
16 Carrying Case
Additional Contents:
17 (5) Prepared Glass Slides
18 (18) Blank Glass Slides
19 (18) Slide Covers
20 (18) Labels
21 (4) Collection Vials
22 Pipette
23 Tweezers
24 Magnifying Glass
25 Graduated Cylinder
26 Shrimp Hatchery
27 Shrimp Eggs
Congratulations! You’ve chosen one
of the highest quality microscopes
available for young explorers. Read
the following instructions carefully
to get the greatest benefit from your
precision instrument. Then try out the
experiments to begin your investigation
of the fascinating world around you.
How do I use my microscope?
Before you use your microscope, make
sure that the table, desk or whatever
surface that you want to place it on is
stable, and is not subject to vibration. If
the microscope does need to be moved,
use the arm and base for support while
carefully transferring it.
Install three “AA” batteries (not included)
in the battery compartment on the
bottom of the microscope. Open battery
door on the bottom of the microscope
and insert the batteries according to the
displayed +/- information. Snap-close
the battery compartment door.
Once the microscope is in a suitable
location and batteries installed, check
the light sources to make sure that
they both illuminate by toggling the
light switch (Fig. 7) to the ALL position
(indicated by the I,ʽʽ0ʼʼ, and II). Use a
cleaning cloth (e.g. microfiber) to gently
wipe the lenses off. If the stage (Fig. 2)
is dirty with dust or oil, carefully clean
it off.
The stage is raised and lowered only by
using the focus adjustment knob (Fig 4).
How do I operate the LED illumination?
This microscope is equipped with
two modern LED lights (light-emitting
diodes) that illuminate the specimen
from the top and below the stage
(Fig. 2) You can use different lighting
techniques to illuminate objects and
specimens from opaque to transparent.
Locate the light switch (Fig. 7) on the
base of the microscope. Toggle the
switch to the first position (indicated by
the I), and the lower LED light (Fig. 7)
will illuminate. Move the Toggle to the
second position (indicated by the 0) to
turn off all illumination. Move the toggle
to the final position (indicated by II), and
both LED lights (Fig. 7) will illuminate.
The color filters wheel (Fig. 8) is
located below the microscope stage
(Fig. 2). Filter wheels help you observe
very bright or clear specimens. Using
these filters (red, green and blue), you
can choose from various colors. The
filters wheel also has three different
size apertures so you can adjust
the brightness levels on objects /
specimens. Filter wheels help you
better recognize components of
colorless or transparent objects (e.g.
grains of starch, protozoa). Rotating the
filter wheel in combination with toggling
the lower light or both lights on/off will
allow you to view the object / specimen
and achieve the desired effect.
In addition, the color filters wheel
includes two dark scatter field filters
10x, 40x, which can be used along with
the light condenser to help cover the
shortage of optical energy and change
the character of light, then focus of the
light to the object.
How do I adjust my microscope correctly?
Place on a suitable location as
described above and sit in a
comfortable viewing position. This
microscope includes a rotating head
(Fig. 10), which allows for easy viewing
in multiple positions as well as sharing
with others the amazing images you
have discovered with your microscope.
Always start each observation with
the lowest magnification. Adjust the
microscope stage (Fig. 2) so that the
stage is in the lowest position. Turn the
objective turret (Fig. 9) until it clicks
into place at the lowest magnification
(Objective 4x). Note: Before you
change the objective setting, always
move the microscope stage (Fig. 2)
to its lowest position by rotating the
focus knob (Fig. 4). Lowering the stage
by rotating the focus knob will avoid
causing any damage to the specimen
slide or microscope. When starting an
observation always start with the WF
10X eyepieces (Fig. 14) in the rotating
head (Fig. 10).
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25
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27
23
24
22
19
20
21
5
5
13
M1280x
9
10
3
2
1
4
12
16
15
2 Interchangeable Eyepiece Sets
6
11
14
7
10x 40x
Figure 1
8
Quick Fact - The highest magnication
is not always the best for every specimen!
How do I observe the specimen?
Sitting in your location with adequate
illumination chosen from the color
filter wheel, the following basic rules
should be observed: Start with a simple
observation at the lowest magnification.
Position the object or specimen in the
middle of the stage under the stage
clips (Fig. 3), centered over the lower
LED light (Fig. 7). Focus the image by
rotating the focus knob (Fig. 4) until a
clear image appears in the binoviewer
eyepiece.
NOTE: The higher the magnification,
the more light you will require for a good
image quality.
Quick Fact - The item you want to
observe with the microscope is known
as the object or specimen.
Place the prepared slide directly under
the objective on the microscope stage
(Fig. 2) securing with the stage clips
(Fig 3). The prepared slide should
be located directly over the lower
illumination (Fig. 6). Look through the
binoviewer eyepiece and carefully turn
the focus knob (Fig. 4) until the image
appears clear and sharp. Now you
can select a higher magnification by
changing the WF binoviewer eyepieces
to the 16X (Fig. 14). When the WF
16X lenses are inserted in the barrel
of the rotating head, the magnification
is increased by 62%. Higher levels
of magnification can be achieved by
turning the objective turret (Fig. 9) to
a higher setting (10x or 40x). For best
results, return the WF 10x eyepieces
to the lowest power of magnification
before changing the power on the
turret. Replacing the WF 10x eye pieces
upon every rotation of the turret allows
for easier transitions in magnification.
Following this procedure creates a
steady increase of magnification
without overpowering the view of the
object. The following magnifications
should be considered: 80x, 128x, 200x,
320x, 800x, then 1280x.
Each time the magnification changes
(due to eyepieces or objective
change), the image sharpness must be
readjusted with the focus knob (Fig. 4).
When doing this, be careful because
if you move the microscope stage too
quickly, the objective and the slide could
come into contact and cause damage
to the slide or microscope.
For transparent objects (e.g. protozoa),
light is projected by the lower LED light,
traveling from below the stage, through
the objective and eyepieces, and finally
into your eye. This process of light
transmission is known as microscopy.
Many microorganisms found in water,
plant components, and the smallest
animal parts are transparent in nature.
Opaque specimens, on the other hand,
will need to be prepared for viewing.
Opaque specimens can be made
transparent by a process of treatment
and penetration with the correct
materials (media), or by slicing. You can
read more about creating specimens in
the following experiment sections.
Dark field observation describes a
technique of illumination using your dark
scatter field filters (10x, 40x) and your light
condenser that allows you to enhance
the contrast of your objects / specimens.
By transmitting the scattered light from
your specimen and blocking all directly
transmitted light, a unique visual effect
is created where your object / specimen
stands out against a dark, almost black,
background.
How do I take photos of the specimen?
Your microscope has a special
mobile phone adapter so that you
can take photographs of an object /
specimen. First make sure your object /
specimen is in focus and at the desired
magnification. Then simply remove one
of the eyepieces, attach the adapter
and mount your mobile phone on it so
that the camera lens is pointing down
through the eyepiece barrel. Focus your
camera and take the picture. You can
then save these photos and / or share
them with your friends through email,
texting or social networking.
If you have access to compatible
imaging software, you can also use a
method called “False Color Imaging“
to create three-color images that
show your object / specimen in colors
different from reality or from what you
would observe in a full-color (true-color)
photograph. This technique is used
to help certain features of an object
or specimen stand out and be more
distinct, so they can be more easily
observed and studied.
Cleaning Tips
Ensure your microscope has a long
service life. Clean the lenses (objective
and eyepieces) only with a soft lint-free
cloth (e.g, microfiber). Do not press
hard as this might scratch the lens. Ask
your parents to help if your microscope
is really dirty. The cleaning cloth should
be moistened with cleaning fluid and
the lens wiped clean using very little
pressure. Make sure your microscope
is always protected against dust and
dirt. After use, leave it in a warm room to
dry. Then return it to the carrying case
provided.
This microscope can be the gateway to
a fun, creative, learning process and will
open the door to advanced knowledge
of the world around you. Allowing you
to explore the various fields of science
from Biology to Botany to Chemistry
and beyond, so have fun exploring the
exciting world of science.
Experiment Instructions
WARNING!
• Keep chemicals and corrosive liquids
out of the reach of children!
• Do not ingest any chemicals!
• Wash your hands with soap
thoroughly under running water
after use!
Introduction
Here are a few tips about how to take
a better look at the wonderful world
of microorganisms and crystals. For
example, you’ll learn how to prepare
your object / specimen so that you
can look at it with the microscope.
The numerous experiments described
should make you curious and want to
use your microscope more.
What Kind of Objects?
With a magnifying glass, you can
look at non-transparent (i.e. opaque)
objects, for example, small animals,
parts of plants, tissues, etc. Here,
the light falls onto the object and is
reflected back through the magnifying
lens and into your eye. With your
microscope, however, you can also
observe transparent objects, in which
the light from the lamp goes through the
opening on the stage and the prepared
M1280x Microscope Set
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No recognizable image
No Image
No Light
Turn on light
Readjust focus
Start with the
Lowest power objective (4X)
Lowest power Eyepiece (10X)
Center object on slide
Start with the
Lowest power objective (4X)
Lowest power Eyepiece (10X)
Replace batteries
Check on/o position
Troubleshooting Table
Problem Solution
specimen. Then, it passes through the
objective, the body of the microscope
and through the binoviewer eyepiece
into the eye. Many microorganisms in
water, parts of plants and the tiniest
animal parts are naturally transparent.
For other things, you must make them
transparent through a treatment or
penetration with the right materials
(media), or by taking the thinnest
slices from them using your hand or
a specimen slicer (not included) to
be able to examine them with your
microscope. You’ll now find out how this
is done.
How to Produce Thin Specimen Slices
WARNING:
Only do this with an adult’s supervision!
Ask your parents to help you! As
already mentioned, you need to get the
thinnest slices possible from an object
so that they are transparent and can be
looked at under the microscope. First,
you’ll need a simple candle. Place the
wax from the candle in an old pot and
heat it on the stovetop until it becomes
liquid. Now, use tweezers (Fig. 25) to
dip the object in the liquid wax a few
times. Attention: The wax is very hot! Be
careful. After each dip, allow the wax to
harden and then dip the object into the
wax again. When the wax around the
object has hardened completely, you
can use a specimen slicer to cut thin
slices from it. These slices are to be laid
on a slide and covered with a cover slip
or slide cover (Fig. 19).
The Production of Specimens
There are two basic types of specimens:
Permanent specimens and short-term
specimens.
Short-term Specimens
Short-term specimens are produced
from objects that you want to look at,
but don’t want to keep in your specimen
collection. These specimens are only
meant to be observed for a short period
of time, after which they are disposed
of. For short-term specimens, place the
object on the slide and place a cover
slip on top of it. After looking at the
object, clean the slide and the cover
slip. One of the secrets of successful
observation with your microscope is
the use of clean slides and cover slips.
Spots or stains would only distract you
when looking at an object.
Permanent Prepared Specimens
Permanent specimens are those
produced from objects that you would
like to look at again and again. The
preparation of dry objects (pollen, the
wings of a fly, etc.) can only be done
with special glue. You’ll find such glue at
a local hobby store, identified as “gum
media.” Objects that contain liquid must
first have the liquid taken out of them.
How to Prepare a Dry Object
First, place the object in the middle
of a clean slide and cover it with a
drop of glue (gum media). Then place
a cover slip on the object. Lightly
press the cover slip, so that the glue
spreads to the edges. Then let the
specimen harden for 2-3 days. When
the specimen is firmly glued, you will be
able to use it.
How to Prepare a Smear Specimen
For a smear specimen, a drop of the
liquid to be observed (e.g, water from
a puddle in the forest) is placed on the
end of the slide using a pipette (Fig. 24).
Then smear the liquid across the slide
with the help of a second slide. Before
observing, let the substance dry for a
few minutes.
Experiments
Experiment No. 1:
Black and White Print
Objects:
1. A small piece of paper from a
newspaper with a black and white
picture and some text
2. A similar piece of paper from a
magazine
In order to observe the letters and the
pictures, produce a short-term slide from
each object. Now, set your microscope
to the lowest magnification and use
the specimen from the newspaper. The
letters on the newspaper look frayed
and broken, since they are printed
on raw, low-quality paper. The letters
on the magazine look smoother and
more complete. The pictures in the
newspaper are made up of many tiny
dots, which appear slightly smudgy. The
pixels (halftone dots) of the magazine
picture are clearly defined.
Experiment No. 2:
Color Print
Objects:
1. A small piece of color printed
newspaper
2. A similar piece of paper from a color
printed magazine
Make short-term specimens from
the objects and observe them with
the lowest magnification. The colored
halftone dots of the newspaper often
overlap. Sometimes, you‘ll even notice
two colors in one dot. In the magazine,
the dots appear clear and rich in
contrast. Look at the different sizes of
the dots.
Experiment No. 3:
Textile Fibers
Objects and accessories:
1. Threads from various fabrics (e.g.
cotton, linen, wool, silk, rayon, nylon, etc.)
2. Two needles
Each thread is placed on a slide and
frayed with the help of the two needles.
Next, wet the threads and cover them
with a cover slip. Set the microscope
to one of the lower magnifications.
Cotton fibers come from a plant, and
look like a flat, twisted ribbon under
the microscope. The fibers are thicker
and rounder at the edges than in the
middle. Cotton fibers are basically long,
collapsed tubes. Linen fibers also come
from a plant, and they are round and run
in one direction. The fibers shine like
silk and exhibit countless bulges on the
thread. Silk comes from an animal and
is made up of solid fibers that are small
in diameter, in contrast to the hollow
plant-based fibers. Each fiber is smooth
and even and looks like a tiny glass
tube. The fibers of the wool also come
from an animal. The surface is made of
overlapping sleeves that look broken
and wavy. If possible, compare wool
from different weaving mills. In doing so,
take a look at the different appearance
of the fibers. Experts can determine
which country the wool came from by
doing this. Rayon is a synthetic material
that is produced by a long chemical
process. All the fibers have solid, dark
lines on the smooth, shiny surface. After
drying, the fibers curl into the same
position. Observe the differences and
the similarities.
Experiment No. 4:
Table Salt
Object: normal table salt.
First, place a few grains of salt on a
slide and observe the salt crystals with
the lowest setting of your microscope.
The crystals are tiny cubes and are all
the same shape.
Experiment No. 5:
Production of Salt Crystals
Objects and accessories:
1. Table salt
2. Test tube filled halfway with warm
water to dissolve salt
3. Cotton thread
4. Paper clips
5. Matchstick or pencil
Add salt to the water until it no longer
dissolves. We now have a saturated
salt solution. Wait until the water has
cooled. Fix a paper clip to the end of the
cotton thread. The paper clip serves as
a weight. Tie the other end of the cotton
thread into a knot, stick the match
through and dip the end with the paper
clip in the salt solution. Place the match
M1280x Microscope Set
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Feeding your Brine Shrimp
In order to keep the brine shrimp alive, they must be fed
from time to time, of course. This must be done carefully,
since overfeeding can make the water become foul and
poison our shrimp population. The feeding is done with
dry yeast in powdered form. A little bit of this yeast every
second day is enough. If the water in the compartments of
the hatchery or your container turns dark, that is a sign that
it is gone bad. Take the shrimp out of the water right away
and place them in a fresh salt solution.
Warning! The shrimp eggs and the shrimp are not
meant to be eaten!
Experiment No. 7:
How does bread mold develop?
Object: An old piece of bread.
Put the bread on a slide and lightly moisten it with water.
Place the bread into a sealed container, and keep it warm
and out of harsh light. Within a short time, the black bread
mold forms. When the mold takes on a white, shining
appearance, observe it with your microscope. It will look
like a complicated mass of thread, forming the fungus
body, which is called the mycelium. Each thread is known
as a hypha. These threads, or hyphae, grow like long, slim
stacks, ending in a small, white ball, called a sporcap. Inside
the sporcap is a spore that will eventually be released to
start new colonies of mold. With your microscope you can
watch this amazing transformation unfold.
Experiment No. 8:
Observing stem and root sections
Objects:
1. A celery stalk
2. A carrot
With an adult’s supervision, cut several very thin slices from
the middle of the celery (a stem) and from the middle of
the carrot (a root). Make a “wet mount” by placing a drop
of water on the slide. Then put the specimen on the watercovered slide, and top with a cover slip. The water will help
support the sample. It also fills in the space between the
cover slip and the slide. Start by viewing them at the lowest
magnification and then increase the magnification for more
detailed observation.
Experiment No. 9:
Observing cork cells
Object: A small cork
With an adult’s supervision, cut a very thin slice from the
cork, the thinner the better. Prepare a wet mount of this cork
slice as you did with the celery and carrot in Experiment 8.
When applying the cover slip over the slide, the water and
the cork, make sure no air bubbles are trapped beneath it.
Begin with the lowest power and increase the magnification
as desired. The cells you see, called lenticels, are actually
the air pockets that have been left after the plant material
inside has decayed.
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horizontally on top of the test tube. It prevents the cotton
thread from slipping all the way down into the test tube.
Now, place the tube in a warm place for 3-4 days. If we take
a look at the glass after a few days under the microscope,
we can see that a little colony of salt crystals has formed
on the cotton thread.
Experiment No. 6:
How do You Raise Brine Shrimp?
Accessories (from your microscope set):
1. Shrimp eggs
2. Sea salt
3. Hatchery
4. Yeast (not included)
Brine shrimp, or “Artemia Salina”, as they are called by
scientists, have an unusual and interesting life cycle. The
eggs produced by the female are hatched without ever
being fertilized by a male shrimp. The shrimp that hatch
from these eggs are all females. In unusual circumstances,
e.g. when the marsh dries up, the male shrimp can hatch.
These males fertilize the eggs of the females and from this
mating, special eggs come about. These eggs, so-called
“winter eggs,” have a thick shell, which protects them. The
winter eggs are very resistant and capable of survival if
the marsh or lake dries out, killing off the entire shrimp
population. They can exist for 5-10 years in a “sleep” status.
The eggs hatch when the proper environmental conditions
are reproduced. These are the type of eggs you have in
your microscope set.
The Incubation of the Brine Shrimp
In order to incubate the shrimp, you first need to create a
salt solution that corresponds to the living conditions of the
shrimp. For this, put a half liter of rain or tap water in a
container. Let the water sit for approx. 30 hours. Since the
water evaporates over time, it is advisable to fill a second
container with water and let it sit for 36 hours. After the
water has sat stagnant for this period of time, add half of
the included sea salt to the container and stir it until all of
the salt is dissolved. Now, put a few eggs in the container
and cover it with a dish. Place the glass container in a bright
location, but don‘t put it in direct sunlight. Since you have
a hatchery, you can also add the salt solution along with
a few eggs to each of the four compartments of the tank.
The temperature should be around 77º F (25ºC). At this
temperature, the shrimps will hatch in about 2-3 days. If
the water in the glass evaporates, add some water from the
second container.
The Brine Shrimp under the Microscope
The animal that hatches from the egg is known by the name
“Nauplius Larva”. With the help of a pipette, you can place a
few of these larvae on a glass slide and observe them. The
larvae will move around in the salt water by using their hairlike appendages. Take a few larvae from the container each
day and observe them under the microscope. In case you’ve
hatched the larvae in a hatchery, simply take off the cover
of the tank and place the tank on the stage. Depending on
the room temperature, the larvae will be mature in 6-10
weeks. Soon, you will have had raised a whole generation
of brine shrimp, which will constantly grow in numbers.
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