IQCREW M30-ABS-KT2 52 Piece Microscope Set User Guide

52-Piece
MICROSCOPE SET
EXPLORE… LEARN… GROW! M30-ABS-KT2 52
User Guide

Safety Information

This microscope kit has tools with sharp points or edges, including a microtome and a pick. Please use this product very carefully, children must be under adult supervision.  This microscope set contains chemicals that may be harmful if misused. Please read all the warnings and cautions in the instruction manua! and on individual containers  carefully. Do not allow the chemicals to come into contact with any part of the body, especially the mouth and eyes. Keep small children and animals away from experiments.  As the microscope kit also has instruments with sharp edges and points, eye protection is strongly recommended.

WARNING- BATTERY SAFETY INFORMATION

• Battery installation and removal should be performed by an adult.
• Use only batteries recommended in this instruction manual.
• Be careful to install the batteries with correct polarity as indicated.
• Do not mix old and new batteries.
• Remove all batteries when replacing.
• Do not mix alkaline, standard, rechargeable, or different types of batteries.
• Rechargeabie batteries are to be removed from the microscope before being charged.

CAUTION:

The following chemicals in this package could be harmful if misused:

• Eosin Biological Dye
• Gum Media
  Avoid eye and skin contact. Do not swallow. Do not inhale. May cause irritation. In case of accident, call a doctor. Keep away from young children.

SAFETY INFORMATION

a) Glass slides and slide covers are very deticate. Please handle with care.
b) The incorrect use of chemicals can cause injury and damage to one’s health. Use only the slide preparations listed in the instructions.
C) Because children’s abilities vary, even within age groups, supervising adults should exercise discretion regarding which slide preparations are suitable and safe for children.  The instructions should aid adults in assessing slide preparations to discern their suitability for each child.
d) Supervising adults should discuss the warnings and safety information with the child before commencing the preparation of slides. Pay particular attention to the safe  handling of chemicals (if used).
e) Your slide and brine shrimp preparation space should be kept clean, clear and away from any food storage areas. Place brine shrimp hatching station in a location where brine shrimp will not be consumed by humans of animals.

Introduction

iQCrew’’s Science Discovery Series is designed to inspire kids to !earn more about science. Microscopes are important tools which help children understand science and  nature by allowing them to peek into the microscopic world, which is why they are a standard component of STEM curricula. Biology, chemistry, geology, and many more  fields rely on microscopes to understand how things work.

The IQCrew brand offers a range of microscopes and accessories to drive the curiosity of the budding scientist:

• Compound Microscope: view specimens under high magnification where light is transmitted through the specimen.
• Stereo Microscope: view specimens under low magnification where light is reflected from the surface of the specimen.
• Inverted Microscope: view specimens in petri dishes as light is directed from top of specimen while objective is at the bottom.
• Digital Microscope: connect via USB to see the specimen on computer or phone and capture live images.
• Experiments and accessories supplementing the microscopes to continue learning.

See our full line of products at www.amscope.com/iqcrew

Let’s Begin!

To get things started, this complete kit includes some prepared slides for viewing tight out of the box. It also includes materials to prepare your own samples, like a Petri dish  and blank slides. There Is a graduated cylinder for measuring and a pipette for easily transfering liquid samples. Forceps, a probe, and a stirring rod are also included for  preparing and positioning specimens.
Carefully lift the microscope from the box using two hands. Place one hand around the microscope arm and the other under the base. For best results, use the microscope on  flat, sturdy surfaces. Install 2 AA batteries (included) as shown on page 5 in this guide. Always be mindful of your mirror and light source. The more light that is reflected or  transmitted through the hole in the stage, the brighter and sharper the images will appear in the microscope eyepiece.

M30-ABS-KT2 – Parts Names and Applications

light
Lamp Housing| Contains the light-source, including the LED bulb
Arm| Connects the illuminator to the body
Objective turret (nose piece)| Holds the objective lenses; and rotates to switch between lenses.
Brightness control Icriob| Switches the illuminator on and off, and adjusts the brightness
Focusing knob| Adjusts the height of the objective turret to focus on the specimen
Battery compartment !id| Covers the battery compartment where AA batteries can be InStalled
Battery compartment screw| Secures the battery compartment lid

Microscope Features

• Focus Knob: moves the specimen up or down making the image clear and sharp. Use the focus knob to raise or lower the lens until the image you see is dear and sharp.
• The Body Tube: Connected to the eyepiece and helps focus the lenses.
• Eyepieces: The two eyepieces have 8X and 20X magnifications. Remove the dust cover from the eyepiece and put it aside in a safe place.
• Power Indicator/ Objective turret: The turret has 3 lenses or objectives: 15 X, 30 X, and 60 X (See Fig. 3.1). The shorter the objective, the lower the power or magnification. The longest objective is the highest power. To calculate the magnification you are using, multiply the value of the objective by the power of the eyepiece (Note that the power indicator on the turret makes this calculation for you). For example, turn the power indicator to the longest objective (60 X and multiply it by the power of your fixed eyepiece (20X).
•  The Stage: A flat platform with a hole in the center allows reflected light off the mirror or light source to enter the microscope.
• Stage Clips: The 2 stage clips hold the glass slide firmly on the stage_
• Mirror/Light Source: While holding the base down, pull on the arm to tip the microscope back_ Examine the mirror and light source located below the stage to see how you can adjust them, and choose one or the other. The light source turns on automatically when tipped upwards toward the stage. The mirror gathers and reflects light into the microscope.
• Base/Battery Compartment: Place the microscope on its side. To remove the protective plastic cover, remove the screws with a Philips head screwdriver. Gently lift and the base will open_ Insert two “AA- batteries (user supplied) in the base. Match the positive (+) and negative (-) poles of the batteries with the (+) and (-) markings on the base (Fig. 3). To replace lid, position it over the opening and replace the screws.
• Color Filter and Aperture Wheel: The color filters are incorporated in the stage.
  Use these filters to add color to enhance the image of certain specimens.

Available Magnification Options

1. Installing Batteries in the Microscope
   Remove the battery cover on the back of the microscope and install 244 batteries (included in ihe kit). Make sure to follo w the diagram on the inside of the battery  compartment to ensure that batteries are installed in t h e correct direction. Once Installed replace the battery cover on the microscope.

2.   Adjust the focus

3. Rotate the focus k n o b and raise the body tube as far as it will go. Turn the turret t o the shortest objective (the power indicator will read 10x).

4. Put one of the prepared giass slides under the siage clips and position ihe prepared specimen over the hole in the stage.

5. Rotate the focus knob to lower the body tube as far as it will go.

6. Look through the eyepiece and slowly turn the focus kneb until the specimencan besee n in focus.

7. Observe what happens when you slowly move the fight source or the mirror. Adjust the mirror or light source to provide the amount of light that gives you the best image.

8. Lock in the eyepiece and observe what happens to the image when you move the slide to the left and then to the right .

9. IF you wish to increase magnification, rotate the objective turret t o a higher power and refocus. Practice rotating the turret to change magnification.

2.1 Using filters
Locate the color filter located at the front of the stage. Rotate the filter to change filter colors. Observe how the color filter affects your view of the prepared slide. Next, take  a blank slide and place a few grains o f salt or sugar on it. Rotate the filter and see how the filtered light enhances the image of the salt or sugar

Tip: The color filter wil be most useful when booking at clear or dim specemens.
CAUTION: To prevent the wires attached to the light from breaking, never rotate the light source 8 full 360°. Be careful as you tum the focus knob so that the objective lens does not make contact with a slide or the stage. This may cause damage to the slide and siso to the objective tens.

Your First Experiment!
Now that you’ve studied the features of your microscope, its time to take it out for a test drive and try out a simple observing exercise .
Prepare your own slides.
NOTE: When preparing slides you want to use the thinnest possible sample. Havean adult use a razor blade or sharp knife to cut slices for you to try. DO NOT CUT
SPECIMENS WITHOUT ADULT SUPERVISION.

Wet Mount Slides
The most common way to prepare a specimen is with a “wet mount’, and here’s how you do it:

1. Place a specimen on the slide. Using a pipette, place a drop of water on the specimen.
2. Then place one edge of the cover slip over the specimen and carefully lower the cover slip into place using a toothpick or equivalent. This method will help prevent air  bubbles from being trapped under the cover slip.
3. Your objective is to have sufficient water to fill space between cover slip and slide. !f there is too much water, thecover slip will slide around. Take a piece of paper towel  and hold it close to one edge of the cover slip. This will draw out some water. If too dry, add a drop of water beside the cover slip. Practice this until you get used to it.

Recommended Specimens to look at with wet mount slides

• Plant material, like leaves, onion skin, flower petals
• Mold spores from bread, cheese or fruit
• Fibers like thread or yarn

Dry Mount Slides
The procedure for making dry mount slides is much the same as for wet mounts.

1. Select a clean slide. Make sure it is free of dirt & smudges
2. Inspect the specimen to determine if it needs to be sliced. (Try to use a translucent to transparent specimen for light to pass through it)
3. Place the sample specimen on the slide using tweezers or toothpick – just enough to fit under a cover stip.
4. Carefully place a cover slip over your specimen to flatten it out. There is no need to worry about air bubbies, so you can just drop the cover slip onto the specimen.

Recommended Specimens to look at with dry mount slides

• Hair, fur or feathers
• Small insects or insect body parts
• Butterfly or moth wings
• Cloth
• Printed Material

Brine Shrimp Hatchery
Brine shrimp are tiny crustaceans that are ideal for study with a microscope.
Crustaceans are sea creatures with hard shells and antennae. Crabs and lobsters are perhaps the most well – known crustaceans. Brine shrimp are the major part of the diet of  many sea creatures. The word brine means water containing neticeable amounts of salt. Brine shrimp are salt water creatures .
Your microscope kit comes with a vial of sea salt, brine shrimp eggs and a hatchery.
Here’s how to grow and observe your own shrimp.

Growing Brine Shrimp:

1. To hatch the egas, first prepare a brine solution, Pour the entire contentso f the vial containing  the sea salt into a quart {946 cc) .of waiter,| 2. Add the brine shrimp eggs into the solution . low the solution to stand at room  temperature for 24 to 48 hours and the eggs will  hatch into nauplius larvae (this is the first stage o f  development after leaving the eggs).| 3.. Place some of the jarvae inte one of the compartments of the shrimp hatchery.

4. Place ‘some fresh brine solution in anether compariment . Add a small amount of yeast to this new solution .| 5. Then, using an  a ropper, transfer some o the larvae into this compartment as well. The yeast will  serve as food and produce oxygen for the eee evelop into maturity. Without food and oxygen, the  shrimp cannot develop and will die .| 6. Observe the life cycie  of the shrimp as they row  . the dried eggs, the hatching eggs , the developing larvae, and finally, the mature shrimp.

Observing Brine Shrimp:
Once your shrmp have hatched, cover the hatching station with the lid and observe the shrimp through the magnifying lens. For even higher magnification, suck up some shrimp into the pipette and place a few drops of that water onto a blank microscope slide. Cover the droplets gently with another slide, and then remove the covering slide. This will flatten out the water without crushing the shrimp. Place the slide on your microscope stage and examine the shrimp with both the 10x and 25x lenses. The shrimp will be swimming rapidly Move the slide around to keep them in view. Your brine shrimp will live for 1-3 days. If you want to observe them for a longer period, feed them by adding a few grains of yeast to the hatching compartments. Also, skim off unhatched eggs from the water surface so the growing shrimp can get more oxygen.

Exciting Things to Look For

• When brine Shrimp first hatch, they only have one eye, called a naupliar wye, and an extra set of antennae with fine hairs to help them swim Do you see the eye?
• After about 12 hours, the shrimp molt – shed their exoskeletons – and move into a new stage of development. They will continue to molt until they reach the adult stage, about 8 days after hatching. If you are lucky, you might see one as it molts!
• The adult brine shrimp have two eyes in addition to the naupliar eye. They also have 11 pairs of what look like legs_ These appendages are called phyllopads and they are not all the same. Some are adapted for swimming, while others are used to scrape and filter algae, which is what shrimp mostly eat Can you see any differences in the phyllopods?

Experiments to Try
See what kind of water your shrimp like best. Place unsalted water into one compartment, and fill the other three compartments with water that has salt at the ratio of 142 teaspoon, 1 teaspoon and 2 teaspoons of salt per cup of water Which solution did they hatch best in7 Were there any differences between the results after 24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hours? See how pollutants in the water affect the shrimp Once you have grown some shrimp, use the pippette to transfer an equal amount to each half of your petri dish. Then add a different pollutant to each sample. What happens when you add vinegar, dish soap, sugar, soy sauce, or anything else to the water?

Make Your Own Slides

It’s so easy to make slides that the variety of slides you can create will be limited only by your own imagination. A section of almost any material can be placed on a slide and observed with a microscope. All you need is the proper equipment and a little patience, and you’ll be making slides in no time. Everything you need for the following experiments can be found in this kit or around your home (make sure to ask a parent first before you borrow any items, such as the measuring cup).
NOTE: In order to stain a slide, you will need to prepare the Eosin Dye: Without opening the container, look closely at the container marked ‘Eosin Dye”. You’ll notice a few grains of ‘dust’ at the bottom of the container. These are the grains of Eosin_ Remove the container’s lid and fill the container with water. Gently stir the mixture, you have now prepared Eosin Dye for use.

Onion Skin Cell Experiment:
Tissue from an onion is a good first exercise in using the microscope and viewing plant cells. The cells are easily visible under a microscope and the preparation of a thin section is straight forward_ An onion is made of layers, each separated by a thin skin or membrane.

1. First, place a small drop of water on a  microscope slide. This is io hold the onion skin and  to keep it from drying out| 2. With adult supervision, take a small plece of  onion and using tweezers, peel off the membrane  from the underside (the rough side).| 3. Using tweezers, place the onion skin membrane  flat onto the drop of water on the slide,

4. Using your dropper, add a diop-of Ensin  dye provided with this kit on top of the onion on  the slide. This will help you see the cell siructure better.| 5.Place one edge of the cover slip over the onion  and dye. Carefully lower it into place using a  toothpick or tweezers. This helps prevent air  bubbles from getting trapped under the cover slip.| 6.Observe the slide under you r microscope. What  do you see? Can you spot the four parts?

Troubleshooting

Hf you are experiencing difficulty with your microscope, try these troubleshooting techniques:

it clicks in place
3| The image is blurry| The focus is not correctly set.| Follow the instructions to focus. (Refer Pg 5) properly
4| The specimen cannot be focused and the entire focus range has been used| The specimen is too thick, or liquid is too high| Try a thinner specimen sample or less liquid

Microscope Best Practices
The microscope should be used in a dry environment Do not use the microscope outside in wet conditions as water can damage the light-source or contaminate the optical system_ Always turn off the illuminator when the microscope is not being used.

When storing the microscope, remove the batteries to prevent corrosion. Always remove slides from the stage before putting the microscope away. Do not use anything except lens cleaning tissue to clean the lenses Always carry the microscope with two hands – one around its arm and one under the base. Keep the microscope in a cool, dry, dust-free place Use a dust-cover to prevent dust and humidity from entering the microscope.

Make a Record of Your Experiments
Begin to start thinking like a scientist as you perform your experiments Observe carefully and make records of your experiments (make sure you date them) Record the types of specimens you observe; their coTtors, shapes and patterns; how they look through each objective; how you prepare your slides; what tools you use; how different specimens compare with each other; and so forth..

Date of slide:…………………………………………
Name of sample:…………………………………….
Collected from:……………………………………….
Stain:…………………………………………………….
Mount…………………………………………………….
Lighting:……………………………………………….
Observations
Sketches

Date of slide:……………………………………………………………
Name of sample:……………………………………………………….
Collected from:………………………………………………………….
Stain:……………………………………………………………………….
Mount……………………………………………………………………..
Lighting:…………………………………………………………………..

Observations
Sketches

52-Piece
MICROSCOPE SET
EXPLORE… LEARN… GROW!

Questions? We are here to help!
Visit amscope.com/igqcrew | or email: info@amscope.com
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Documents / Resources

| IQCREW M30-ABS-KT2 52 Piece Microscope Set [pdf] User Guide
M30-ABS-KT2 52 Piece Microscope Set, M30-ABS-KT2, 52 Piece Microscope Set, Microscope Set
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