Orbitor OR100L Instructions Manual

orbitorTM

98-PIECE 1200X

MICROSCOPE SET

Instructions

and

Learning Guide

f

r

How to use your new microscope:

There’s a whole tiny universe around you ready to be explored! All you need is your microscope, and
a zest for adventure. Your microscope is an instrument with special lenses that make very small
objects appear much larger. There are millions of tiny living organisms that can be seen in amazing
detail through your microscope.

Your microscope set contains the following parts. Check your microscope kit and make sure that you
have all of the parts listed below. Put a check mark in the box beside each item you find.

 1 die-cast microscope (a)

 1 scalpel (b)

 1 spatula (c)

 1 tweezers (d)

 4 collecting vials (e)

 1 test tube with cap (f)

 1 Petri dish (g)

 1 pipette (h)

 5 prepared slides (i)

 18 blank slides (j)

 18 slide labels (k)

m1

 36 slide covers (l)

 1 crystallized red dye (m1)

 1 crystallized blue dye (m2)

 1 stirring rod (n)

 1 magnifying glass (o)

 1 measuring graduate (p)

 1 spare light bulb (q)

h

n

 1 camera adapter (r)

 1 projection device (s)

What are these things for?

a) Die-cast metal microscope – The microscope holds small items, called samples, to be studied on
clear slides. It shines a bright light from its mirror or bulb through the small sample, and then lenses

s

a

e

p

c

g

m2

q

o

j

i

k

d

b

l

2

make the sample look very big. This microscope can make things look 300 times, 600 times, or even
1,200 times bigger than you can see them with your own eyes.

b) Scalpel – A scalpel is a sharp blade that is used to cut very thin pieces of material so you can look
at them with your microscope.

c) Spatula – The spatula has a large flat blade, but it is not as sharp as the scalpel. It is used for
scraping off bits of material for testing and to push down on soft samples to mash them flat.

d) Tweezers – The tweezers are like little pinchers. They are used to pick up small samples and to
handle samples that you don’t want to touch with your hands – like slimy mold!

e) Collecting vials – These are little plastic bottles with tight-fitting lids. They are used to carry your
samples from the place you collected them to the place you have your microscope set up.

f) Test tube with cap – This thin, clear tube is used to hold liquid samples when you want to see if
anything is happening, like when a sample changes color.

g) Petri dish – This is a round, flat dish with a clear cover. It is used to grow and observe samples
such as molds.

h) Pipette – This is a soft plastic tube with a squeeze bulb on one end that you use to transfer a drop
or two of liquid to a slide for examination.

i) Prepared slides – These are slides with professionally prepared samples on them for you to
examine.

j) Blank slides – These are clear slides for you to use in preparing your own subjects for
examination.

k) Slide labels – These are little pieces of paper with sticky backs. You can stick them on your slides
and record information, such as the name of the sample, or when the sample was prepared.

l) Slide covers – These are little circles or squares made of thin, clear plastic. They are used to cover
very small samples on a slide. When they are clean and dry they stick to the glass slide with a static
electricity charge.

m) Crystallized red dye and crystallized blue dye – In your set you will find two small plastic
bottles. One has a small amount of red powder in it and one has a small amount of blue powder. Add
enough warm water to half fill these plastic bottles. Place the lids on and make sure they are tight.
Shake well to make a supply of dye. If you add a drop of red or blue dye to a sample, like a thin slice
of onion, you will be able to see the cells much more clearly.

n) Stirring rod – Use this rod to mix liquids until they are well blended. An example is when you mix
salt in water.

o) Magnifying glass – This is useful for taking a close look at a sample before you examine it under
the high-power magnification of your microscope.

p) Measuring graduate – This plastic cup is marked with measuring lines so that you can accurately
measure quantities of liquids in your experiments.

3

q) Spare light bulb – This spare bulb will replace the one in the illuminator lamp when it eventually
wears out.

r) Camera adapter – This adapter lets you attach a single use camera or a digital camera to the
microscope so you can make photographs or digital images of the exciting subjects you will see.

s) Projection device – With the projection device you can study the microscope image on a small
screen; or you can project an image onto a white wall or other white surface. You can even project
the image down onto a piece of white paper. This way you can trace the outline of the sample you are
studying and make your own drawing. You can save these drawings in an album, or you can use
them in school projects.

Parts of Your Microscope:

E

G

I

J

A. Eyepiece – The eyepiece is where you look into the microscope. It is a small magnifying lens that

collects the image projected by the objective lens.

B. Body tube – This is the main tube of the microscope. The image from the sample travels up this
tube to the eyepiece.

C. Focusing knobs – Turn these knobs very slowly to bring the image of your sample into focus so
you can see it sharply.

D. Revolving lens turret – The turret holds the three objective lenses. To change the lenses, rotate
the turret slowly until each lens clicks into position.

E. Objective lenses – These lenses give three different magnifying powers when working with the
eyepiece lens. They make samples look 300 times (300X), 600 times (600X) or 1,200 times (1,200X)
bigger than you can see them with your eyes alone.

D

A

B

A. Eyepiece

C

F

H

B. Body tube

C. Focusing knob

D. Revolving lens turret

E. Objective lenses

F. Arm

G. Stage

H. Slide clip

I. Mirror

J. Electric illuminator (on
opposite side of mirror)

K

K. Base (battery compartment)

4