Looking at Cells
Ever wondered what actually makes up living things? This practical gets you up close with plant and animal cells using a microscope to see structures invisible to the naked eye.
You'll start by preparing an onion cell slide - carefully peeling off a thin layer of onion skin and mounting it with iodine stain. The iodine is crucial because it makes the nucleus and other cell structures visible against the transparent cell contents.
The key skill here is proper microscope technique. Always start with low power magnification and gradually increase to high power. This prevents you from crashing the objective lens into your slide and ruining your sample.
Top Tip: When focusing, always move the stage away from the objective lens while looking through the eyepiece - this prevents slide breakage!
