# 2000 x magnification WHATSIT



## Compaq (Nov 13, 2013)

Good luck


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## minicoop1985 (Nov 13, 2013)

Surface of a lens?


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## Overread (Nov 13, 2013)

The Arctic from space!

Or skin? 

ps - bet you can't hand hold that camera


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## Robin_Usagani (Nov 13, 2013)

It is probably something man made?  It is interesting to see the pieces are lie puzzle pieces.  Most of them look like a fracture of other pieces.


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## Compaq (Nov 13, 2013)

The green scale in lower left corner might give some hints as to what equipment took this image  

I would not try to hand hold it, no


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## KmH (Nov 13, 2013)

No telling at 2000x. 
Non-spherical bacteria species can range up to 10 µm in size.

The notations under the photo indicate an electron microscope was used, with the electron beam at 20.00 kV (EHT=20.00 kV)
The sample being photographed was in a low pressure or vacuum chamber (Chamber = 1.60e-003 Pa), because molecules of air would scatter the electrons used to make the image.


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## Compaq (Nov 13, 2013)

Solid observations from KmH. A Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) was used. This image comes from registering secondary electrons. This type of imagery is good for looking at the topography of the sample. 

The image is of a soil sample (I do not have much information of the sample). The white hot spots represent that the crystal consist of several "phases", meaning different atoms or compounds.

Electron microscopy can, to some extent, be used for quantitative measurements.


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## Robin_Usagani (Nov 13, 2013)

Is it a compacted soil puck sample or loose soil?  Must be clayey soil.


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## Compaq (Nov 14, 2013)

Robin_Usagani said:


> Is it a compacted soil puck sample or loose soil?  Must be clayey soil.




I do not know that much about preparing the sample; there are several ways to optimally prepare the sample for SEM depending on the sample. I know the sample was polished after being put in some epoxy glue mix... or something


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