Air Bubbles and Fish Scales under Student Microscopes
Examining air bubbles under student microscopes can be a science microscope activity that can be enjoyed by both teachers and students. We will be using a high power student microscope for this microscope activity.A high power microscope is a type that is often called a compound microscope. It has three or four objectives and either one or two eyetubes for viewing the biological specimens on prepared slides. A single eyetube type is called a monocular, while a double eyetube type is called a binocular.
In order to create some air bubbles, we must obtain a piece of blotting paper or any paper that can easily absorb water. Tear the blotting paper so that it will have some rough edges.
Using a glass rod or pencil, wet the blotting paper with water. This way, there will small air bubbles that will be entangled in the fibers of the paper. Put this specimen on a blank microscope slide. Remember to cover the cover slip on top of the slide, then place it carefully on the microscope stage for viewing. Looking at air bubbles under a high power compound student microscope, you will notice that they appear like dark spots that have shining centers. This image can have different effects depending on how we focus the specimen.
In focusing, we use the fine adjustment knob and coarse adjustment knob that can be found at the side of the child’s biological microscope. But you have to be very careful in adjusting the focus using these knobs. If you lower it too much, you might crash the microscope objective into the specimen slide and it will damage the sample and or the objective! Be sure to have a teacher or an adult around to guide the kids in using the fine adjustment and coarse adjustment knob.
If you try to focus the objective in the middle of the bubble using the student compound microscope, you will see that the image will become very bright in the middle. It will be surrounded by a gray zone and an alternate of black and white rings. We go on focusing on the bottom of the bubble using the student compound microscope. You will notice that the white circle becomes brighter and sharper.
It is surrounded by a very broad black ring that will have one or more different circles around it. Finally, we focus on the upper surface of the bubble using the child’s student microscope. By adjusting the focus of the microscope, you will notice that the circle at the center increases in size. It is also being surrounded by a narrow black ring and some rings in various shades of gray. Science and biology teachers can also make their students try focusing on the air bubbles from different distances and sides. It is more enjoyable if you have a pen and paper at hand to illustrate the various images that you can find.
Another fun and educational material that can be observed by kids and children under a high power student microscope are fish scales. Fish scales can be easily obtained in the house kitchen or at the nearby market. Remember to ask the teacher or an adult for assistance.
Once you are able to obtain some fish scales that will be examined under a child student microscope, you have to wash them clean. Fish scales are often coated with slimy material and you will not be able to see the scales clearly unless you remove this slime. When looking at fish scales under kid student microscopes, you will notice that these scales are most of the time transparent. Sometimes you will see spots on them. It will also look iridescent or rainbow colored because the scales bend the light the passes through it.
You will be able to see different types of scales depending on what type of fish you are using. A particular feature of most fish scales is its concentric patterns. Concentric patterns look like a tree rings that can be seen on cut tree trunks. Like trees, these can also be used to know how old the fish is. So start counting on the number of circles that you can find. These microscope activities can serve as basic science experiments that students or children can do with their high power student compound microscope. The idea is to enhance the learning of the student by providing them with exciting experiments that will stimulate the child’s mind.
