A Microscopic look at Simple Stains and Unknown Sample 'L'

After making the simple stain last week, this week we placed the slides under a microscope and took a look at the bacteria! Once placed under the compound light microscope, we set it on the highest power-400x. We also used immersion oil to properly see the bacteria. Immersion oil is important because it keeps the light from refracting so that all the light goes into the view through the diaphragm and the bacteria is clearer. In this case I looked at my throat swab, it was fabulous. The bacteria from my throat is circular (cocci) but it was not in chains so it is not strepo form!! It was really cool to look at and I enjoyed being able to see the shapes of bacteria that we learned about in class live in the lab.

We also took the unknown sample out of the incubator! It had grown into a lovely red culture! We placed it in the fridge for next class :)

Microscope & Immersion oil fun!

Recording what I saw

Until next class,
Anne B