Edu Science M640X User Manual
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STUDENT MICROSCOPE
MICROSCOPE D’ÉTUDIANT
MICROSCOPIO DE ESTUDIANTE
Supervision by Adults
Read and follow the instructions,
safety rules and rst aid information.
This Microscope set is intended 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. Never leave a child
unsupervised with this device.
Batteries should be kept out of
children’s reach. When inserting
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 short circuit the
device or batteries or throw into a
re. Exposure to high temperatures
or misuse of the device can lead to
short circuits, re 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 and 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.
Risk of Material Damage
Never take the device apart. Please
consult our service center and send
the device in for repair if needed.
Do not subject the device to temperatures
exceeding 140˚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 uids 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 ber). 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 packaging materials as
legally required. Consult the local
authority on the matter if necessary.
Need help? Call us toll-free at 855-863-4426.
M640x Microscope Set
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
• Slide case
• 3 prepared slides
• 8 blank slides
• 8 slide covers
• 8 labels
• 3 collection vials
• Pipette
• Tweezers
• Magnifying glass
• Graduated cylinder
• Specimen slicer
• Shrimp hatchery
• Shrimp eggs
• Yeast
Product Manual Visit
www.exploreone.com/pages/product-manuals
The Parts of Your Microscope:
1) Zoom eyepiece
2) Focus knob
3) Stage
4) Metal stage clips
5) Aperture wheel
6) 4x, 10x, 40x objectives
7) Objective turret
8) LED illumination
9) Base with battery compartment
10) ON/OFF switch
11) Microscope arm
Additional Contents:
12) 3 prepared slides
13) 8 blank slides
14) 8 slide covers
15) 8 labels
16) 3 collection vials
17) Pipette
18) Tweezers
19) Magnifying glass
20) Graduated cylinder
21) Specimen slicer
22) Shrimp hatchery
23) Shrimp eggs
24) Yeast
Congratulations! You’ve chosen one
of the highest quality microscopes
available for young explorers. Read
the following instructions carefully
to get the greatest bene t 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 handle the
microscope by the arm and base while
carefully transferring it.
Install two “AA” batteries (not included)
in the battery box, located in the base
of the microscope. Open battery door
and insert the batteries according to
the displayed +/- information. Snapclose the battery compartment door.
Once the microscope is in a suitable
location and batteries installed, check
the light source to make sure that it
illuminates. Use a cleaning cloth (e.g.,
micro ber) to gently wipe the lenses
off. If the stage is dirty with dust or oil,
carefully clean it off. Make sure that
the stage is raised and lowered only
by using the focus adjustment knob.
How Do I Operate the LED Illumination?
Locate the ON/OFF switch on the
base of the microscope. Flip the
switch to the on position and the light
will illuminate. This microscope is
equipped with modern LED lighting
(a light-emitting diode) that illuminates
the specimen from below. The aperture
wheel (Fig. 5) is located in the middle
of the microscope stage (Fig. 3). They
help you when you are observing very
bright or clear specimens. Using these
lters, you can choose from various
brightness levels. This helps you
better recognize the components of
colorless or transparent objects (e.g.,
grains of starch, protozoa).
How Do I Adjust My Microscope Correctly?
Place in a suitable location as
described previously and sit in a
comfortable viewing position. Each
observation starts with the lowest
magni cation. Adjust the microscope
stage (Fig. 3) so that the stage is at
the lowest position. Then turn the
objective turret (Fig. 7) until it clicks
into place at the lowest magni cation
(objective 4x). Note: Before you
change the objective setting, always
move the microscope stage (Fig. 3) to
its lowest position. This way, you can
avoid causing any damage to the slide
or microscope. Make sure the zoom
eyepiece (Fig. 1) is also in the fully
lowered position.
Note: The highest magnifi cation is not
always the best for every specimen.
How do I observe the specimen?
Sitting in your location with adequate
illumination chosen from the aperture
lter wheel, the following basic
rules are to be observed: Start with
a simple observation at the lowest
magni cation. This way, it is easier
to position the object in the middle
(centering) and make the image
sharp (focusing). The higher the
magni cation, the more light you will
require for good image quality.
Quick Fact - The item you want
to observe with the microscope is
known as the object or specimen.
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M640x Microscope Set
Now place the prepared slide directly
under the objective on the microscope
stage (Fig. 3) securing with the stage
clips (Fig 4). The object/specimen
should be located directly over the
illumination (Fig. 8). At this point,
take a look through the eyepiece and
carefully turn the focus knob (Fig. 2)
until the image appears clear and
sharp. Now you can select a higher
magnication by slowly turning the
zoom eyepiece (Fig. 1). When the
zoom lens is completely turned out,
the magnication is increased by 62%.
If you would like an even higher level
of magnication, turn the objective
turret (Fig. 7) to a higher setting (10x
or 40x). Please note: You should
return the zoom to lowest power of
magnication.
Note: You should always lower the
stage and return the zoom to lowest
power when rotating the objective
turret.
Each time the magnication changes
(eyepiece or objective change), the
image sharpness must be readjusted
with the focus knob (Fig. 2). When
doing this, make sure to be careful; if
you move the microscope stage too
quickly, the objective and the slide
could come into contact and cause
damage to the slide or the microscope.
For transparent objects (e.g.,
protozoa), the light shines from below,
through the opening in the microscope
stage and then through the object.
The light travels further through the
objective and eyepiece, where it
is also magnied, and nally goes
into the eye. This is transmitted light
microscopy. Many microorganisms
in water, many plant components
and the smallest animal parts are
already 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 sections.
Cleaning Tips
To ensure your microscope has a long
service life, clean the lens (objective
and eyepiece) only with soft lint
free cloth (e.g., microber). 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 uid 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 off.
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. It
allows you to explore the various elds
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 thoroughly with
soap 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 will learn how to prepare
your object, 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 reected back through the
magnifying lens and into your eye.
With your microscope, however, you
can observe transparent objects, in
which the light from the lamp goes
through the opening on the stage
and your prepared specimen. Then
it passes through the objective, the
body of the microscope and the
eyepiece into your eye. In this way,
the microscope is only meant for
observing transparent objects. Many
microorganisms in water, parts of
plants and the tiniest animal parts are
naturally transparent. For other things,
we must make them transparent. We
may make them transparent through a
treatment or penetration with the right
materials (media), or by taking the
thinnest slices from them (using our
hand or a specimen slicer), and then
examine them. You’ll now nd 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 to dip the object in the
liquid wax a few times. 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 the specimen
slicer to cut thin slices from it. These
slices are to be laid on a slide and
covered with a cover slip.
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 cover slip. One of the
secrets of successful observation with
microscope is the use of clean slides
and cover slips. Spots or stains would
only distract you when looking at an
object.
Need help? Call us toll-free at 855-863-4426.
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/OFF position
Troubleshooting Table
Problem Solution
M640x Microscope Set
Permanent Prepared Specimens
Permanent prepared specimens are
produced from objects that you would
like to look at again and again. The
preparation of dry objects (pollen, the
wings of a y, etc.) can only be done
with special glue. You’ll nd such
glue at a local hobby store or online,
identied as “gum media.” Objects
that contain liquid must rst 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 that is covered in the
chemical. Lightly press the cover slip
so that the glue spreads to the edges.
Now you have to let the specimen
harden for 2-3 days. Only then is the
specimen rmly glued so 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. Then
you can smear the liquid across the
slide with the help of a second slide.
Before observing, let the substance
dry together for a few minutes.
Experiments
Experiment No. 1:
Black and White Print
Objects:
• Small piece of paper from a
newspaper with a black and white
picture and some text
• Similar piece of paper from a
magazine with color pictures and text
In order to observe the letters
and the pictures, produce a short-
term slide from each object. Now,
set your microscope to the lowest
magnication 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 halftone dots of the magazine
picture are clearly dened.
Experiment No. 2:
Color Print
Objects:
• Small piece of color-printed
newspaper.
• Similar piece of paper from a
magazine.
Make short-term specimens from the
objects and observe them with the
lowest magnication. 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:
• Threads from various fabrics (e.g.,
cotton, linen, wool, silk, rayon, nylon, etc.).
• 2 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 magnications.
Cotton bers come from a plant, and
look like a at, twisted ribbon under
the microscope. The bers are thicker
and rounder at the edges than in the
middle. Cotton bers are basically
long, collapsed tubes.
Linen bers also come from a plant,
and they are round and run in one
direction. The bers shine like silk and
exhibit countless bulges on the thread.
Silk comes from an animal and is
made up of solid bers that are small
in diameter, in contrast to the hollow
plant-based bers. Each ber is
smooth and even and looks like a tiny
glass tube.
The bers 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 bers. 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 bers have solid, dark lines
on the smooth, shiny surface. After
drying, the bers curl into the same
position. Observe the differences and
the similarities.
Experiment No. 4:
Table Salt
Object:
• Common 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:
• Table salt
• A graduated cylinder lled halfway
with warm water to dissolve the salt
• Cotton thread
• Paper clips
• A matchstick or pencil
Add salt to the water until it no longer
dissolves. You 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 around
the match, and dip the end with the
paper clip in the salt solution. Place
the match 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 you take
a look at the glass after a few days
under the microscope, you 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):
• Shrimp eggs
• Sea salt
• Hatchery
• Yeast
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 are produced.
These eggs, called “winter eggs,”
have a thick shell, which protects
them. The winter eggs are very
resistant and capable of survival, even
if the marsh or lake dries out, killing off
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