Bresser Junior 40x-640x Mode D'emploi page 12

5. Condition and prepare viewed objects
5.1. Condition
This microscope features transmitted light, so that transparent speci-
mens can be examined.
If opaque specimens are being examined, the light from below goes
through the specimen, lens and eyepiece to the eye and is magnified
en route (direct light principle).
Some small water organisms, plant parts and animal components are
transparent by nature, but many others require pretreatment — that is,
you need to make a thinnest possible slice of the object by hand cut-
ting or using a microtome, and then examine this sample.
5.2. Creation of thin preparation cuts
Specimens should be sliced as thin as possible. A little wax or paraffin
is needed to achieve the best results. Put the wax into a heat-safe bowl
and heat it over a flame until the wax is melted. You can use a candle
flame to melt the wax.
DANGER!
Be exremely carfeful when dealing with hot wax, as there
is a danger of being burned.
Then, dip the specimen several times in the liquid wax. Allow the wax
that encases the specimen to harden. Use a MicroCut or other small
knife or scalpel to make very thin slices of the object in its wax casing.
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DANGER!
Be extremely careful when using the MicroCut, knife or
scalpel. These instruments are very sharp and pose a
risk of injury.
Place the slices on a glass slide and cover them with another slide
before attempting to view them with the microscope.
5.3. Creation of your own preparation
Put the object to be observed on a glass slide and cover the object
with a drop of distilled water using the pipette (12).
Set a cover glass (available at a well-stocked hobby shop) perpendicu-
lar to the edge of the water drop, so that the water runs along the edge
of the cover glass. Now lower now the cover glass slowly over the
water drop.
6. Experiments
Now that you're familiar with your microscope's functions and how to
prepare slides, you can complete the following experiments and ob-
serve the results under your microscope.
6.1. How do You Raise Brine Shrimp?
Accessories (from your microscope set):
1. Shrimp eggs
2. Sea salt,
3. Hatchery,
4. Yeast.