* Prepared slides involve a thin slice of the specimen mounted on a glass slide and covered with a coverslip. This process:
* Preserves the specimen: It's often fixed (treated) and stained to prevent decay and enhance visibility.
* Flattens the specimen: This allows light to pass through easily for clear observation.
* Protects the objective lens: The coverslip prevents the objective lens from touching the specimen, which can be messy or damage the lens.
Other forms of specimens are possible for microscopy:
* Wet mount: A temporary slide where a specimen is placed in a drop of liquid. This is good for observing live organisms but not for long-term study.
* Whole mount: An entire, often small organism, is mounted on a slide.
* Smear: A thin layer of cells spread on a slide, often used for observing bacteria.
The specific form depends on the type of specimen and the purpose of the observation. But for clear, detailed viewing, prepared slides are the most common and reliable method.
