Name: _____________________

Date:
/
/

The Onion Cell: Lab

Aim (What is it that you want to find out?)

Materials (What exactly do you need to do this experiment?)

Whole white onion
Iodine
Microscopes
Dropper
Microscope slides
Cover slips
Method/Procedure (A list of all the steps that you take to do this
experiment)
Preparing the wet mount slide of
onion skin
1. Break an onion slice in two.
2. Carefully pull the slice apart.
3. Use tweezers to pull off a very thin
piece of onion skin (the thinner, the
better)
4. Place the skin in the center of the slide.
Try to keep it from folding; get it as flat
as possible.
5. Add a drop of water to the onion skin
and cover with a cover slip.
6. Press the cover slip down carefully to
remove any air bubbles.
7. Place the slide on the stage of the
microscope, set it to low power, adjust
the focus so the onion slice is clear.
Draw four or five cells as seen. Label
the cell walls.
8. Switch to higher power and try to
identify the cell membrane, nucleus,
and cytoplasm.
Staining the onion cells
1. Lift up the cover slip and add one or
two drops of iodine to the slide.
2. Lower the cover slip and examine the
cells on higher power.
3. Iodine stains different parts of the cells

so that different organelles can be

seen. Draw and label the cell wall, cell
membrane, cytoplasm, and nucleus.
Observations (What do you see?)

Onion Cell Drawings

Name: ___________

Remember:
Use pencil only
No sketchy lines
No shading
Include magnification

Conclusions & Discussion

1. What is the general shape of the onion cells?

2. Describe what you saw without the stain.

3. Why is it easier to see the onion cells after they are stained?

4. All plant cells have cell walls. What is the function of the cell wall?

5. Count the number of cells that are seen in the field of view under low
power magnification and also under higher magnification. Compare the
number of cells observed in each field of view. What difference do you
see?

6. What is the job of the nucleus? Were you able to see the cell nuclei?

7. What would you do differently if you were to do this experiment again?

What mistakes will you make?

Scientist: _____________________
Class: _______________________
1)
2)

Overall
Report includes name & date
Report is neat
Report was handed in on time

Aim
Is complete

3)

4)
5)

Overall
Title page includes name & date
Report is neat
Report was handed in on time

Aim
Is complete

6)

Observations
Diagrams neatly completed
Diagrams in pencil
Diagrams are accurately labelled
Observations are clear and detailed
Conclusion
Question 1 is correct
Question 2 is correct
Question 3 is correct
Question 4 is correct
Question 5 is correct
Question 6 is correct
Question 7 is correct

Scientist: _____________________
Class: _______________________

___
15

Observations
Diagrams neatly completed
Diagrams in pencil
Diagrams are accurately labelled
Observations are clear and detailed
Conclusion
Question 1 is correct
Question 2 is correct
Question 3 is correct
Question 4 is correct
Question 5 is correct
Question 6 is correct
Question 7 is correct

___
15