For the following tip, explain the reasoning for why it should be followed.
When using a light microscope, focus the specimen with the scanning objective lens first.
The tip suggests focusing the specimen with the scanning objective lens first when using a light microscope. This is because the scanning objective lens has the lowest magnification power, typically around 4x or 5x.
By starting with the scanning objective lens, you can first locate and position the specimen properly on the microscope slide. It allows you to see a larger field of view, allowing you to quickly find the general area of interest.
Once the specimen is centered and positioned correctly, you can switch to higher magnification objective lenses for more detailed observations. If you were to start with a higher magnification lens, such as the high power or oil immersion objective, it would be more challenging to locate and position the specimen precisely since the field of view becomes narrower.
Using the scanning objective lens first also helps to prevent accidentally damaging the microscope slides or the objective lenses themselves. Switching to the higher magnification objective directly increases the risk of accidentally crashing the lens into the slide or touching the lens to a cover slip on the slide, causing potential damage.
Therefore, focusing the specimen with the scanning objective lens first is a good practice as it allows for easier positioning and minimizes the risk of damage, facilitating efficient and safe microscopy observations.