Scribd
Upload
116 views

Laboratory Activity 2

This document describes a laboratory activity to examine living microorganisms under a microscope. Students will prepare wet mount slides of sewage water samples to observe the natural size, shape, and motility of microbes like bacteria, algae, and protozoa. The procedure involves making a hanging drop preparation with a coverslip, petroleum jelly, and water sample placed between a slide and coverslip for examination under low and high power objectives. Students are asked to differentiate between true motility, involving cell appendages like cilia and flagella, and Brownian motion caused by water molecule bombardment.

Uploaded by

Mcullfy John
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
116 views

Laboratory Activity 2

This document describes a laboratory activity to examine living microorganisms under a microscope. Students will prepare wet mount slides of sewage water samples to observe the natural size, shape, and motility of microbes like bacteria, algae, and protozoa. The procedure involves making a hanging drop preparation with a coverslip, petroleum jelly, and water sample placed between a slide and coverslip for examination under low and high power objectives. Students are asked to differentiate between true motility, involving cell appendages like cilia and flagella, and Brownian motion caused by water molecule bombardment.

Uploaded by

Mcullfy John
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

1

Mohamed Hassan Almonsaf


Name: _________________________________ 220006470
Academic Number: ________________

Laboratory Activity No. 2: Examination of Living Microorganism

Learning Outcomes:
After completing this laboratory activity, the student should be able to:
1. Prepare wet mount for a given specimen; and
2. Microscopically examine living microorganisms.

Because of the small size and a refractive index that closely approximates that of water,
microorganisms like bacteria, algae and protozoa do not lend themselves readily to microscopic
examination in a living, unstained state. Examination of living microorganisms is essential in
observing cellular activities such as motility and binary fission. It is also necessary in observing the
natural sizes and shapes of the microbial cells since the rapid passage of the smear over the
Bunsen burner flame (called “heat fixation”) and exposure to chemicals during staining cause
some degree of distortion.

For this particular laboratory activity, you will be observing several microscopic organisms
commonly found in sewage water. Below are examples of these microscopic organisms:

Figure 1. Algae and protozoa commonly found in natural infusions and pond water (Source:
Cappuccino and Sherman, 2014)

There are two available techniques in microscopically observing for cellular size and shape as well
as the motility of the microorganisms. The hanging-drop preparation and wet mount make the

Laboratory Workbook in General Microbiology


2

movement of microorganisms easier to see because they slow down the movement of water
molecules.

The procedure for the hanging-drop preparation is presented below.

Figure 2. Hanging-drop preparation. (Source: Cappuccino and Sherman, 2014)

A. Materials:
1. Microscope 5. Cotton swab
2. Glass slide 6. Inoculating loop
3. Cover slip 7. Sewage water sample
4. Petroleum jelly

B. Procedure: Wet Mount


1. With a cotton swab apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly along the edge of the four sides of a
coverslip.
2. Place a loopful of the water sample in the center of a clean coverslip.
3. Place a clean glass slide over the coverslip and press the slide gently to form a seal between
the slide and the coverslip.
4. Quickly turn the slide right side up so that the drop continues to adhere to the inner surface
of the coverslip.
5. Examine the prepared wet mount under the low-power objective. Reduce the light source by
adjusting the condenser.
6. Repeat step 5 using the high-power objective.
7. Record the results in the space provided.

Laboratory Workbook in General Microbiology


3

fl
Specimen Low Power Objective High Power Objective

Sewage water

Magnification

C. Question:
1. Differentiate between true motility and Brownian movement.
Brownian motion is caused by random motion of water
___________________________________________________________________________
smashing on the bacteria while true motility involves cilia and
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
agella. Brownian motion is the bombardment of cells by water
___________________________________________________________________________
molecules. The cells appear to be vibrating. True motility is
___________________________________________________________________________
movement of the cell by appendages.

Laboratory Workbook in General Microbiology

You might also like