2.

1 Preparing and examining slides of plant cells

1. A piece of scale leaf was cut from a big onion.

2. The translucent epidermis from the inside of the scale leaf was removed using a
scalpel.

3. A drop of distilled water was added at the center of the slide and the onion
epidermis was laid on the water.

4. The onion epidermis was covered with a cover slip using a mounting needle, which
was placed at a 45° angle to the slide and slowly pressed down. The wet mount slide
of this specimen was named as wet mount. It was ensured that there were no air
bubbles trapped in the wet mount slide and the onion epidermis was not folded.

5.A drop of iodine solution was added on one side of the cover slip. The iodine
solution was drawn to absorb and stain the entire onion epidermis by placing the
filter paper at the opposite end of the cover slip. This technique is known as the
irrigation technique.

6. Excess iodine and distilled water were absorbed using a piece of filter paper.

7. The slide was observed through a light microscope with a low-power objective
lens and then with a high-power objective lens.

8. The epidermal cells structure that could be observed was drawn and labeled
completely. The magnification power was recorded.

2.2 Preparing and examining slides of animal cells

1. The inside of the cheek was gently scraped with a blunt toothpick.

2. The scraping was transferred into a drop of water on a clean glass slide and
covered with the cover slip.

3. The cheek cells were stained with methylene blue solution using the irrigation
technique.

4. The cheek cells were examined through a light microscope. The cheek cells that
could be observed were drawn. The magnification power was recorded.