Posts of the Category: Labwork
This category contains posts with labwork that can be done in a school.
Using clear nail polish to make impressions of plant leaves
The leaves are the photosynthetic organs of a plant. The cells are packed with chloroplasts, which convert CO2 gas from the atmosphere and water to glucose, using the energy of sunlight. The produced glucose is then either respired and used as an energy source, or it is converted to other organic substances needed for plant [...]
Safety issues in Microscopy
Safety issues in microscopy are not only relevant to amateur microscopists, but also for teachers who want to conduct basic microbiological and microscopic work in a school laboratory. In this case the organisms are alive and depending on the type of organism, they may pose a possible health hazard. The post addresses some of the safety issues that should be taken into consideration.
How to prepare squash specimen samples for microscopic observation
Squashing the specimens (instead of cutting them) is a fast and easy way to prepare specimens.
Microscopic observation of EHEC?
Is it possible to use microscopes to identify pathogens, such as the EHEC bacterium, which currently (May-June 2011) causes problems in some parts of Europe? The answer is, unfortunately, no.
Safe sources of microorganisms for microscopy
A simple check of the refrigerator (or the super market) provides many safe sources for microorganisms to view under the microscope.
Heat-fixing and staining human cheek cells
Observing human cells is a good introductory activity to learn heat-fixing and staining.
Setting up a Home Laboratory for Microscopy
Why a home lab? For someone who wants to observe ready-made permanent slides or an occasional pond water sample, a fully equipped home laboratory may not be necessary and somewhat of an overkill. In this case it is sufficient to find a reasonably dust-free place to store and operate the microscope. The microscope can then [...]
Using a Hemocytometer to Calculate Cell Size
I already illustrated how to calculate cell size (). The method required you to take a picture of a ruler and then use this as a reference for cell size calculation. This system had several disadvantages: first, it only works for low magnifications (you have to be able to see 1mm of the ruler on [...]
