Kontiki MM8044C User manual

MM8044C
Instruction Manual
900X Microscope

Your new 900X Microscope is a doorway to new and exciting adventures and is designed to
bring hours of enjoyment, wonder and just plain fun. Discover the hidden microscopic world
around you!
Before trying out your new equipment, please take the time to read the important Cautionary
and Safety information below.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS
NOTE: Read all cautionary statements in this Manual. This contains instruments and other
materials with sharp points and edges. This set is not to be used by children under 8 years of
age, and always with adult supervision.
Use under adult supervision. For children 8 years and older.
ADVICE FOR SUPERVISING ADULTS
a) Read and follow the instructions, the safety information and the first aid information
carefully. Keep them on hand for reference.
b) Use only the slides preparations listed in the instructions.
c) This microscope is for children 8 years and older, and only with adult supervision.
d) Because children’s abilities vary, even within ago 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.
e) Supervising adults should discuss the warnings and safety information with the child
before commencing the preparation of slides.
f) Your preparation space should be kept clean, clear and away from any any food storage
areas. Prepare your slides in a well-lit area and close to a water supply. A solid table with a
heat resistant top should also be used.
g) A separate tin or bucket should be used for the disposal of solid waste materials. Any
wasted solution should be poured directly down a drain, but never into a sink basin.
h) To be used solely under the strict supervision of adults that have studied the precautions
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provided.
Caution : Use care to install batteries in the orientation indicated by illustration in the battery
slots of the battery holder. Follow battery manu-facturer’s precautions. Do not install
batteries backwards or mix new and used batteries. Do not mix batteries types. If these
precautions are not followed, batteries may explode, catch fire or leak. Improperly installed
batteries void your warranty.
Let’s Begin!
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 micro-scope on flat,
sturdy surfaces. 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.
Microscope Features
Take a few moments to study Figure 1 and become familiar with the various parts and features of
your microscope.
A. Tweezers
B. Scalpel
C. Needle
D. Stirring Rod
E. Prepared slides x 5
F. Blank slides x 7
G. Slide covers and labels
H. Petri Dish
J. Vial x 6
K. Graduated Cylinder
L. Hatchery
M. Micro-slicer
** Light bulb (not shown on photo)
N. The Eyepiece with fixed lens that has a 20X magnification. Remove the dust cover from
the eyepiece and put it aside in a safe place
O. The Body Tube. Connected to the eyepiece and helps focus the lenses.
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Fig. 1
P. Power Indicator / Objective Turret. The turret has 3 lenses or objectives: 7.5X, 30X and
45X (See Fig.2). The shorter the objective, the lower the power or magnification. The longest
bjective 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 (45X),
and multiply by the power of your fixed eyepiece (20X) –you will magnify the object by 900
Times larger than it appears to the naked Eye!
Gently turn the power indicator on the objective turret (P, Fig. 1) .You will feel and hear the
objective lens click into place. Practice turning the focus knob (U, Fig. 1) in both directions
and notice how far you can turn it without letting the objective come into contact with stage (Q,
Fig 1).
Q. The Stage is a flat platform with a hole in the centre to allow reflected light off the
mirror or light source to enter the microscope.
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TIP : Begin viewing at the lowest magnification or power and
focus the object. Once the image is focused,
increase magnification by turning the objective turret
and refocus.
CAUTION : Be careful as you turn the focus knob 50 that the objective lens does not
make contact with a slide or the stage. This may cause damage to the slide and also to the
objective lens.

R. The Stage Clips hold the plastic slide firmly onto the stage.
S. Mirror/Light Source. While holding the base down, pull on the arm to tip the micro
scope 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.
T. Base/Battery Compartment. Place the microscope on its side. To remove the pro-
tective 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.
Fig. 3
U. Focus Knob. Slowly turn the knob back and forth to focus an object in the eyepiece.
Notice what happens to the power indicator (P, Fig.1) as you turn the knob.
Start Observing!
Now that you’ve studied the features of your Microscope, it’s time to take it out for a test drive
and try out a simple observing exercise.
1. Rotate the focus knob (U. Fig.1) and lower the stage (Q, Fig.1) as far as it will go. Place
the 20X eyepiece into the microscope, if necessary. Turn the objective turret (P, Fig.1) to
the shortest objective (7.5X)
2. Put one of the prepared plastic slides (E, Fig-1) under the stage clips (R, F i g. 1) and
posi tion the prepared specimen over the hole in the stage.
3. Look through the eyepiece (N,
F i g. 1)
and
slowly turn the focus knob until the specimen
can be seen in focus.
4. Observe what happens when you slowly move the light source (S, Fig. 1) or the mirror.
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TIP : Always keep both eyes open when looking through the eye piece. Doing
so will relieve stress on your eyes.
CAUTION: To pre vent the wires attached to
the light from breaking, never rotate the light
source a full 360
∘
•
CAUTION: Be Careful not to
touch the slide with the objective
lens. You can break the slide
and/or the lens by touching the
slide with the lens.
NOTE : The view presented in the eyepiece is
upside-down and reversed from left to right of the object.
In other words, if you wish to examine more of the left
side, move the slide to the right. Or if you wish to
examine more of the top of the image, move the slide
down and vice-versa.

Fig. 4
5. Look in the eyepiece and observe what happens to the image when you move the slide
from side to side and up and down.
6. If you wish to increase magnification, rotate the objective turret to a higher power and
refocus. Also, observe with the 20X eyepiece. Practice rotation the objective turret to Change
magnification.
Try Out the Color Filter
Rotate the color filter located below the stage (Q,Fig.1). Below the stage, a fitting will line up
with the opening in the centre of the filter. Rotate the filter wheel to change filter colors.
Turn on the light. Set it so it shines through the filter. Take a blank slide and place a few
grains of salt or sugar on it. Rotate the filter and see how the filtered light enhances the
image of the salt or sugar.
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 experiments in this booklet can be found in this kit or your home
(make sure to ask a parent first before you borrow any of his or her items, such as the
measuring cup). Locate the follow items:
• Scissors • Paper towels
• Petroleum jelly • A measuring cup
• Natural, uncolored toothpicks • 2 or 3 small bottle caps
• Eyedropper • Wide mouth jar and lid
• Salt or Sugar
• 3 or 4 paper cups, or any small containers which can be discarded after use.
Next, set up your work area….the kitchen table (make sure to ask a parent for his or her
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Note : Use the color filter espe-
cially when looking at clear or
dim specimens.

permission), the desk in your room….any place where you can work undisturbed.
Label 3 of your cups: clean, flush and waste. Fill the flush cup with clean water. Next, you
will obtain a specimen and make your first slide.
Want to See Crystals?
Use a measuring cup to measure one or two ounces of hot (but not boiling) water and pour it
into a clean cup. Slowly add as much salt to the water as will dissolve. Stir the solution
continuously while adding the salt.
Use the eye dropper to place one or two drops of the salt solution onto a clean slide (Fig. 4).
Allow the slide to dry. You are now finished with your tools for this experiment. Clean your
tools: put the eyedropper in the flush cup, take up some water and release it into the waste cup.
Do this two or three times. Stir the flush water.
The slide will dry covered with a white substance. Place the slide into the microscope stage.
Rotate the light source of the microscope until it turns on. Before reading any further, look
through the microscope eyepiece and write down what you observe.
If you carefully performed the experiment, you will see little crystal cubes. A grain of table salt
is made up of many cubes. Place one or two grains of table salt on another blank slide and
compare it with the slide containing the crystal cubes.
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TIP: Don’t always assume that increasing magnification will produce the best image for viewing.
Each time you increase in magnification, the amount of light decreases, and the section of the
image you are able to view also decreases. This is desirable for some specimens, but not for
others.
Experiment observing with all three objectives for all specimens until you get a feel for
magnification levels.
Begin to start thinking like a scientist as you experiments. Observe carefully, take
notes (make sure you date them), and most importantly, keep your equipment and
the working environment clean. Experiments work best with clean and
uncontaminated equipment. And your parents will be appreciative of a clean
work area, too.

Further Experiments: Try out the above procedure with other salts such as Epsom
and Rochelle. Sugar will also crystallize, but you will need to let it dry overnight for
the crystals to form.
Preparing a Mount
Dip your spatula in some clean water and make a smear across a clean slide. Use
your tweezers (A, Fig. 1) to place a portion of an insect —a wing, a leg, insect —a
wing, a leg, or an antenna —on the slide. Attach a cover slip (G, Fig. 1) over the
specimen and place the slide on the microscope stage.
Obtain a piece of hair from your head or from your pet and place it on a wet slide.
Try this again with more than one type of hair on a slide and compare how they differ.
Also try a piece of fern (or other plant) and pollen and compare them as well.
Creating Smears
Using your scalpel (B, Fig. 1), gently scrape off small shavings from the surface of a
freshly cut potato.
Smear the shavings onto a clean slide (see Figs. 6 and 7). Clean the scalpel by
swishing it in the slush water. Draw up some water using your eyedropper from the
cup labeled clean and put one drop onto the slide. Attach a cover slip to the slide
and place to the microscope stage. Observe the slide and write down your
observations. You will see hundreds of starch grains.
Take a few kernels from an uncooked ear of corn. Scrape off some shavings and
make a smear as you did with the potato. Compare how the corn different from
potato. Create smears of other foods such as apples, bananas, peaches, and
pineapples. You will observe that these items have membranes rather than starch.
Fig. 6 Fig. 7
A Simple Section Slide
Section slides are extremely this slices of tissues of skin, leaves, flower stems, and other
materials, generally, section slides are very difficult to make without special equipment and
procedures. However, there is one common house-hold item which can be sectioned without
special equipment: the common onion, made up of layers of tissue.
Peel off the very thinnest layer you can. One that is nearly transparent will make an ideal
section.Slice into a piece about 1/4 x 1/4 inch.
Life Under Glass
Fill a wide mouth jar with fresh water. Let if stand for three or four days without the lid. Then
drop a handful of dry grass and a pinch or two of dirt into the jar. Put the cap on the jar and
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CAUTION : The blade of the micro-slicer is very sharp.
Handle the micro-slicer with care.

keep it in a place where it will receive light (but not direct sunlight).
In about five days, you may examine the water. First make a special slide: Using a toothpick,
make a ring of petroleum jelly on a clean slide. The ring should be smaller than a cover slip
and be about half as thick as a slide.
Put a drop of water from the jar onto the slide Inside the ring. Use the lowest power of your
microscope and write down your observations. Did you defect any movement in the water?
The movement is caused by microscope animals. Try to focus on one the animals –this may
not be very easy as a drop of water is like and ocean to a microscope creature.
If the animals seem to be moving too fast to study or don't stay in focus for very long, soak up
a little bit of water with a corner of a paper towel.
Care for Your Microscope
The 900X Microscope is a precision optical instrument and when treated with care, will provide
you with years of use and discovery fun.
• Always carry the microscope with two hands one around its arm and one under the base.
• Always remove slides from the stage before putting the microscope away.
• Cover the microscope when not in use to clean the lenses.
• Never touch a slide with the objective lenses of the turret.
• Remove the batteries before storing the microscope for a month or longer.
Warnings
This unit uses two AA batteries.
Non-rechargeable batteries are not to be recharged.
Rechargeable batteries are only to be charged under adult supervision.
Rechargeable batteries are to be moved from the toy before being charged.
Different types of batteries or new and used batteries are not to be mixed.
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Remember you can make a specimen slide out of almost any material. When you are on a
playground, at school in a park, or just sitting around at home, train yourself to look at all the
material around you. Keep an eye out for what might make a good specimen and discover the
hidden microscopic world that surrounds us all.

Batteries are to be inserted with the correct polarity.
Exhausted batteries are to be removed from the toy.
The supply terminals are not to be short-circuited.
Specifications and colors may vary from item shown. Please retain packaging for future
reference.
Made In China
WARNING!
CHOKING HAZARD
Small parts. Not suitable for children under 3 years.
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