How to make microscope slides
A short tutorial on how to prepare microscope slides for observation.
How to find specimens for your microscope
In front of you: your new microscope. You are eager to test it and wonder what you should look at. Of course you would first look at the permanent slides that came along with your microscope. But sooner or later Read More ...
Why a mounting medium is important
The refractive indes (RI) of the mounting medium can have a significant impact on the image quality.
How do you make dry-mounted permanent slides?
Dry mounted permanent slides do not use a liquid mounting medium. The cover glass has to be held in place in another way.
Growing Algae in a Jar
A drop of inorganic fertilizer greatly enhances the growth of algae in a mini-aquarium.
How to make a permanent microscope slide
An overview of the specimen preparation steps and choice of mounting medium for making a permanent slide for microscopy
How can specimens be prepared for observation?
Some specimens might not fit on a microscope slide. Here are some suggestions on what you can do.
What are the different kinds of microscope slides?
Microscope slides can be classified into different categories. I want to give you a short overview here.
Using clear nail polish to make impressions of plant leaves
Apply some nail polish to make impressions of leaves. This way you can observe the epidermis of the leaf.
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.
Heat-fixing and staining human cheek cells
Observing human cells is a good introductory activity to learn heat-fixing and staining.
How to prevent Air Bubbles in Wet Mounts
There are several methods how bubbles can be reduced when making slides.
Making a wet mount microscope slide
This post explains how to make a wet mount. Video included!
Fixing specimens for making permanent slides
Before specimens can be processed for making permanent slides, they may need to be fixed.
Different types of mounting medium for microscopy
This post gives an overview of different water-based and non-water-based mounting media and their advantages and disadvantages.