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MICROSCOPES
Lesson 3 - Page 3

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Live mount with well

A small container to capture organisms

A live mount can vary depending on the type of microscope used.  They are successful with reflecting light microscope.   The organisms are not stressed in their little chambers or well.  So you can observe their natural life style.  You can even put the organisms back into an aquarium after observation.   First you need to collect water and put it in a small container.  Then you can use an eyedropper to “catch” little things.  If you have some green material this would help to capture some of the heterotrophs feeding.   

Another type of live mounts includes using demoslides which can actually last for a long time.  You can culture material in a little habitat.  Just add oxygen and a little bit of pond water once in a while and you can have a real live aquarium in a tube.  You can also observe it under the transmitting light microscope and see how the flora and fauna changes through time.     

There are many types of ways of preserving your slides.  You can lay them flat or upright, depending on the type of mount that you have made.  Labeling and easy access is essential if you want to show off your collection.  Just think about it, a few slides and you can have the entire population of a pond at your fingertips.

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