what precautions should be taken for observe algae in a pond water
Answers
Answer:
Requirements
A jar of pond water
Microscopic glass slides
Droppers
Microscope
Microscopic cover slips
Blotting paper/Tissue paper
Pond Water Preparation
1. Gently stir the jar containing the water sample in order to ensure uniform distribution of organisms in the water.
2. Using a dropper, place two or three drops of pond water at the center of a clean, sterile microscopic slide.
3. Place a clean, sterile cover on top of the water drop (This should be done carefully, placing the slide on one edge at our a 45 degree angle and gently laying it on top of the water to allow for even spreading of the water sample and remove bubbles)
4. Touch a piece of blotting paper on one side of the slide to absorb any excess water.
5. Place the slide on the microscope stage for observation.
On the other hand, students can suspend a microscope slide in to the jar of pond water. This would also allow microorganisms to attach themselves onto the slide and then can be observed.
In this case, all microorganisms that had concentrated at the top of the pond water sample attach onto the slide.
Students should learn how to use and adjust the microscope from low power to high power to observe smaller and individual organisms. While colonies of protozoa can be viewed using 30X on a stereo microscope, other microorganisms such as hydra and daphnia can actually be seen without magnification since they tend to be multicellular.
As such, they can be seen simply using a magnifying glass. On the other hand, using a higher power greater than 100X would be necessary to properly observe protists (diverse eukaryotic organisms).
Basic Observations
For this experiment, starting with low power, students will have the opportunity to see a number of microorganisms both from the plant and animal kingdom.
Although learning their names and their life cycle may interest the students, they can start by identifying them, comparing them with images on the blackboard or books and differentiating those that belong to the animal kingdom from those that belong to the plant kingdom.
Here, students can sketch down what they observe and later label the different parts of the organisms.