Hello from Florida
Hello from Florida
I am about as newbie as they come. Bought one of those cheap digital microscopes last summer. Had some fun with it, but it was like a “gateway drug” – I want more. Christmas brought me an Amscope student microscope with a USB camera. I have no particular area of interest; I just want to know about everything. Starting with beginner stuff like salt, mold, leaves, seawater and beach sand. I’m a retired software geek living on the East coast of Florida. Hoping this forum will help me learn the ropes.
Re: Hello from Florida
Welcome! Microscopy and software can go hand in hand (if so wished). I do not not find salt (common table salt) interesting. By contrast, fine transparent sand grains, by contrast, can be amuzingly colorful under the polarizing microscope.
Re: Hello from Florida
Welcome Maryfox
In defense of salt:
If you dissolve salt in a little water and let it evaporate on a slide it forms fascinating pyramid shaped crystals.
Did not know that so much time had passed ... here is hoping you retired young.I’m a retired software geek living on the East coast of Florida
In defense of salt:
If you dissolve salt in a little water and let it evaporate on a slide it forms fascinating pyramid shaped crystals.
Zeiss Standard WL (somewhat fashion challenged) & Wild M8
Olympus E-P2 (Micro Four Thirds Camera)
Olympus E-P2 (Micro Four Thirds Camera)
Re: Hello from Florida
Thanks for the welcome messages. Kosher salt is somewhat interesting. I'll try dissolving and evaporating table salt - sounds interesting. I also have Maldon (flake) salt to look at. Mold is next - there's some moldy cheese in the fridge. All of this helps me learn about my scope. Retired in '04 at age 62.
Re: Hello from Florida
All sea salt for consumption or preparing salted meat and fish are mostly sodium chloride, regardless of maker. So I would not expect any difference bewteen makes, when dissolving then evaporating, to see any difference in the crystals. Sodium chloride appears as cubic crystals, very symmetric. Because of the symmetry it is not birefringent, so, when used under polarization microscopy, should not yield the spectacular colors visible from many chemicals and drugs (paracetamol, malic acid, many others). The crystals are beautiful though. Crystal size can be regulated somewhat by controlling the crystallization.
Re: Hello from Florida
Sample pyramid salt crystal:
- Attachments
-
- Z(51-55)w-.jpg (200.4 KiB) Viewed 3694 times
-
- Z(27-32)w.jpg (251.11 KiB) Viewed 3703 times
Zeiss Standard WL (somewhat fashion challenged) & Wild M8
Olympus E-P2 (Micro Four Thirds Camera)
Olympus E-P2 (Micro Four Thirds Camera)