When buying a cheap microscope, don't go for one with a huge magnification (like 1000x) - the quality you will get will make it virtually useless. The one in the picture has a magnification of up to 300x.
How can we look at some real cells?
| Cells are small! But some cells are bigger than
others... You could probably make do with a good magnifying glass for
this, but ideally you need a microscope to look at them properly. You
don't need an expensive microscope though. You can buy a perfectly
good one from toy shops. This one cost little more than £5 from
Toys R US. When buying a cheap microscope, don't go for one with a huge magnification (like 1000x) - the quality you will get will make it virtually useless. The one in the picture has a magnification of up to 300x. |
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Now, take an onion and cut it in half (try not to cry!). You will see that the onion is made up of layers. Break out about half of the layers and take one layer from about half way through.
If you look at the inside of that layer, you should find that you can peel an extremely thin layer out of the inside of it using a finger nail to get it started. It may help if you snap a corner off the layer first - the rough edge makes it easier to get hold of the star of one of the fine layers.
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The fine layer consists of a single layer of cells. Place it on a microscope slide and smooth it out gently. Now look at it with your microscope - you will see the cells. Each is almost rectangular in shape, though the ends will be at funny angles and may be rounded, or in more than one piece.
If you are using a magnifing glass instead of a microscope, smooth your layer of onion on a piece of glass (a window would do!) Tape some plain white paper on the other side of the glass and hold it up to the light (or choose a sunny window...) Now look at the onion cells with your magnifying glass.
OK, so I've seen a cell, but where do genes, proteins and DNA come in??