Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 6 hours ago
Find your 9s with PLUS. Click the link to try for free freesciencelessons.co.uk/modules/gcse-biology-1-triple
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In this video, we look at the required practical on microscopes. First we explore the different parts of the optical microscope and then we look at how to use an optical microscope to view a prepared slide. We then explore the features of animal and plant cells visible under the optical microscope and how to draw a magnification scale bar.
This video is based on the AQA spec. This video may be appropriate for iGCSE / O Level Biology. Please consult your specification. The Amazon link above is an affiliate link. This provides a small commission which helps to support freesciencelessons. The cost remains the same to you. If you prefer not to use this, you can search Amazon for the Freesciencelessons workbooks.
Image credits:
Onion cells By Kateryna Kot - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44643525
Plagiomnium affine By Kristian Peters -- Fabelfroh - Self-photographed, CC BY-SA 3.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1350193
Fibroblast By SubtleGuest - slika uzeta sa engl. vikipedije [1], CC BY 2.5, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2903074
Cheek cells
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cheekcells_stained.jpg
Mulletsrokk, CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Music credit:
Deliberate Thought by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution licence (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/?keywords=deliberate+thought
Artist: incompetech.com
Find your 9s with PLUS. Click the link to try for free freesciencelessons.co.uk/modules/gcse-biology-1-triple
Teachers, to get PLUS for your school, email schools@freesciencelessons.co.uk
In this video, we look at the required practical on microscopes. First we explore the different parts of the optical microscope and then we look at how to use an optical microscope to view a prepared slide. We then explore the features of animal and plant cells visible under the optical microscope and how to draw a magnification scale bar.
This video is based on the AQA spec. This video may be appropriate for iGCSE / O Level Biology. Please consult your specification. The Amazon link above is an affiliate link. This provides a small commission which helps to support freesciencelessons. The cost remains the same to you. If you prefer not to use this, you can search Amazon for the Freesciencelessons workbooks.
Image credits:
Onion cells By Kateryna Kot - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44643525
Plagiomnium affine By Kristian Peters -- Fabelfroh - Self-photographed, CC BY-SA 3.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1350193
Fibroblast By SubtleGuest - slika uzeta sa engl. vikipedije [1], CC BY 2.5, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2903074
Cheek cells
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cheekcells_stained.jpg
Mulletsrokk, CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Music credit:
Deliberate Thought by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution licence (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/?keywords=deliberate+thought
Artist: incompetech.com
