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Biology vocabulary · Laboratory Work and Techniques

Microscope

Meaning in biology, with examples

/ˈmaɪkrəskoʊp/nounCore term

In biology, microscope means: An instrument that uses lenses or a beam of electrons to make very small objects, such as cells and microbes, look much larger so they can be studied.

In Turkish: mikroskop

How it is used

Students use light microscopes; research labs also use fluorescence, confocal and electron microscopes. You look at something 'under the microscope'. Key words: magnification, resolution, objective lens, eyepiece, slide and focus. The adjective is microscopic.

Example sentences

  1. Place the slide on the stage and start with the lowest magnification on the microscope.

  2. Under the electron microscope, we could clearly see the inner membrane of the mitochondria.

Common collocations

  • light microscope
  • electron microscope
  • under the microscope
  • fluorescence microscope
  • microscope slide
  • cellThe smallest unit of life that can survive on its own. Every living thing is made of one or more cells, and each cell is surrounded by a membrane.
  • aseptic techniqueA set of working methods that stop unwanted microorganisms from contaminating cultures, samples, equipment or the person doing the work.
  • microorganismA living thing too small to see without a microscope, such as a bacterium, a yeast or a single-celled alga. Viruses are often studied alongside them.
  • petri dishA shallow, round, clear dish with a lid, used to grow microorganisms or cells on a layer of agar or another culture medium.

More terms: Laboratory Work and Techniques

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