How to Write on Etched Microscope Slides

You can keep records of your slides by writing on them.

An etched microscope slide has a small etching on the side, out of the main viewing area. This etching often describes the information on the slide or catalogs the data as a number. The etching is created by actually carving the information right into the glass of the slide. If you are looking to write on the microscope slide etching, you can easily do so. You just need to take a few different specifications into account.

Things You'll Need

• Tape
• Permanent marker with thin tip

Instructions

1. Determine if you want the writing to be permanent or removable. If you plan on using the slide again for a different project, you need to make sure you can remove the writing later.

2. Place a thin piece of tape over the etching. This not only allows you to write over the etching, but also to remove the tape later and reuse the slide.

3. Write the desired information on the tape with a permanent marker. The marker needs a thin tip as you don't have a large amount of space to write with. Allow the marker to dry before using the slide with your project. It is important to use a permanent marker to avoid smearing the ink when you place a wet item on the slide.

References

• Home Science Tools: Introductory Microscope Experiements