Wet Mount Microscope Slide

A wet mount slide allows you to observe living cells or microorganisms in a drop of liquid under a microscope. It is a simple and quick method, but requires careful handling to avoid air bubbles and excess liquid.

1. Place a clean glass slide on a flat surface.
2. Use a pipette to add a drop of your liquid sample (or place a dry specimen and then add a drop of water).
3. Hold a coverslip with tweezers and lower it at an angle so one edge touches the liquid.
4. Slowly lower the rest of the coverslip to avoid trapping air bubbles.
5. Use the edge of a paper towel to gently absorb any extra liquid from the sides of the coverslip.
6. Adjust with tweezers if needed, ensuring the coverslip is flat and stable.

How To Prepare A Wet Mount Slide - Mr. Fox's Science Classroom:

📄 How to mount your own wet microscope slides - microscopes.com.au: https://microscopes.com.au/blogs/news/how-to-mount-your-own-wet-microscope-slides?srsltid=AfmBOopMbxBWLnmUteqXZqFdZJ5G00Pm9FBJIlyUBgw6qMYOcaxLVR8A

📄 Step-by-Step Procedures to Prepare Microscopic Slides - Rubicon Science: https://rubiconscience.com.au/preparing-microscopic-slides-wet-dry-and-heat-fixed/

• None

• Handle glass slides and coverslips carefully to avoid cuts.
• Dispose of biological samples properly.
• Clean the microscope lenses and stage after use.

• Why is it important to lower the coverslip at an angle? (It prevents air bubbles from forming under the coverslip.)
• What is an advantage of a wet mount slide compared to a permanent slide? (It allows viewing of living specimens in real time.)
• Why might you seal the coverslip to the slide? (To slow evaporation and keep the sample stable.)
• What might happen if you add too much water to the slide? (The specimen may move too much or drift out of focus.)